The Evolution of Yannis: From Turkish Nationalist to Jailed Greek Activist armenianweekly.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from armenianweekly.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Former Greek soldier in Turkish Army gives his thoughts about operation against Kurdish guerillas
Search for:
Yannis Vasilis, born Ibrahim Yaylalı, is a former Turkish soldier who only discovered he was Greek when he was captured by militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in 1994.
Vasilis’ story became famous as he was originally an ultra-nationalistic Turk who only discovered his true Greek origins after he was captured by the PKK in a failed operation and the Turkish government refused to assist him.
They considered him a traitor and terrorist despite identifying as a Turk and wanting to be released.
Yannis learned that his great-grandfather was murdered during the Greek Genocide and that his grandfather was given to a Turkish family and raised as a Muslim Turk.