Hulusi Akar vs Qasem Soleimani

Akar was appointed Chief of the Turkish General Staff on August 18, 2015, succeeding Necdet Ozel. He became the top military commander, overseeing the Turkish Armed Forces during a period of increased counterterrorism operations and cross-border interventions.

During the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, Akar was taken hostage by coup plotters at the General Staff headquarters. He was rescued after the coup failed. His capture and subsequent loyalty to the government solidified civilian control over the military.

As Chief of Staff, Akar oversaw Operation Olive Branch, the Turkish military incursion into Afrin, Syria, targeting Kurdish YPG forces. The operation resulted in Turkish control of Afrin and was part of Turkey's broader strategy in the Syrian conflict.

Akar was appointed Minister of National Defense on July 10, 2018, after the transition to the presidential system. He became the first civilian defense minister in decades, overseeing military policy and procurement, including the S-400 missile deal with Russia.

Qasem Soleimani was appointed commander of the Quds Force, the elite foreign operations branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in 1998. Under his leadership, the Quds Force expanded Iran's influence across the Middle East, supporting allied groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

Soleimani was instrumental in organizing Iraqi Shia militias and coordinating with Iraqi security forces to counter the Islamic State (ISIS) after its 2014 offensive. He provided strategic advice and logistical support, helping to turn the tide against ISIS. His role made him a hero in Iran and among Shia communities, but a target for the US and its allies.

On January 3, 2020, Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport, ordered by President Donald Trump. The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, leader of the Iraqi Kata'ib Hezbollah. The assassination escalated tensions between the US and Iran, leading to Iranian missile strikes on US bases in Iraq.