Veli Tarakçı

Veli Tarakçı (born 20 August 1963) is a Turkish lieutenant general who has been the 51st and current commander of the Third Army since 2023. Prior to this, he served as the chief of staff of the Land Forces from 2020 to 2023.

Biography Tarakçı was born on 20 August 1963, in Ankara, Turkey.

Tarakçı graduated from the Turkish Military Academy in 1984 and completed additional training at the Armored Forces School and Training Division in 1985.

After qualifying as a staff officer, he was promoted to staff colonel in 2004 and subsequently served as the training branch manager within the Training and Education Directorate of the Training and Doctrine Command, a position he held until 2010.

Tarakçı was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 2010 and subsequently commanded the 20th Armored Brigade from 2010 to 2012, followed by the 2nd Armored Brigade from 2012 to 2014. In 2014, he was elevated to the rank of major general. Between 2014 and 2015, he served as the head of the Current Goods and Services Procurement Department at the Ministry of National Defense. He later held the position of undersecretary for Procurement and Construction at the ministry from 2015 to 2016, before being appointed deputy undersecretary from 2016 to 2017. Tarakçı commanded the 23rd Infantry Division from 2017 to 2018 and the 9th Corps from 2018 to 2020.

In 2020, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and held the position of chief of staff for the Turkish Land Forces until 2023. Following this, he took command of the 3rd Army in 2023.