He was born 1889 in Thessaloniki, in the Salonica Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire (present-day Greece).

From 1940 on, Omurtak held the commander-in-chief post of the First Army in the rank of the Orgeneral (four-star general).

He was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces on 1 August 1946 following the resignation of Kazım Orbay, and served at this position until 8 June 1949.

His following duty was the membership in the Military High Advisory Board, which he held until his retirement on 6 July 1950.

His body was moved later to a permanent burial place in the Turkish State Cemetery.