Ankara, Nov 13 (IANS): A group of Turkish nationalist students attacked NATO soldiers in the Eminönü district of Istanbul, putting sacks over their heads and throwing dye on them, media reported Thursday.

Members of the nationalist Turkish Youth Union (TGB) followed three NATO soldiers Wednesday, who were thought to be US citizens, as they exited the USS Ross, which is currently docked on the coast of the Sarayburnu neighbourhood of Eminönü for four days after returning from a NATO exercise in the Black Sea, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

The TGB members shouted slogans "Yankee Go Home", "Damn American Imperialism" and threw red dye on the soldiers while also putting sacks over their heads.

The alleged US soldiers in civilian clothing escaped by running away.

“You declared that you are a member of the US Army. We define you as murderers. We want you to leave our land,” a protester is heard shouting at the soldier in the video released by the group.

“We are using our right to protest against you,” the protester also shouted.

The TGB members were inspired by a 2003 incident when US soldiers staged an operation against Turkish soldiers based in Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq, in which they took 11 Turkish soldiers hostage and put sacks on their heads.

The US embassy in Ankara condemned the attack in a statement released via its Twitter account after the incident.

“The video showing an assault on three visiting American sailors is appalling. While we respect the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression, we condemn today’s attack in Istanbul, and have no doubt the vast majority of Turks would join us in rejecting an action that so disrespects Turkey’s reputation for hospitality,” the statement said.