Turkish military garrison deployed in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command Logo of the Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command
Active 1974–present Country Northern Cyprus Allegiance Turkish Armed Forces Size 40,000+ Headquarters Girne Commander Maj. Gen. Sebahattin Kılınç
Military unit
Map of Cyprus showing current political divisions
The Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command (Turkish : Kıbrıs Türk Barış Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı )[1] is the Turkish garrison in Cyprus. In 1974 Turkish troops invaded Cyprus following a Greek Cypriot coup d'état (organized and supported by the Greek government, which was still in the hands of a military junta ) which wanted to force union with Greece , occupying the northern third of the island. The invasion force consisted of about 40,000 soldiers and 200 tanks. It outnumbers the Greek military contingent on the island, which is supplemented by the Greek Cypriot National Guard consisting of 12,000 active and 75,000 reserves. Air reinforcement of the Turkish troops can be effected, if necessary, within hours.[2]
History
Turkey maintained the Cyprus Turkish Regiment (Kıbrıs Türk Alayı ) in the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus. On 16 August 1960, the brigade was organized as follows:[citation needed ]
Gönyeli Group (Gönyeli Grubu )
2nd Infantry Company (2 nci Piyade Bölüğü )
3rd Infantry Company (3 ncü Piyade Bölüğü )
Heavy Weapons Company (Ağır Silah Bölüğü )
Ortaköy Group (Ortaköy Grubu )
1st Infantry Company (1 nci Piyade Bölüğü )
4th Infantry Company (4 ncü Piyade Bölüğü )
Regimental HQ Company (Alay Karargâh Servis Bölüğü )
Invasion of Cyprus
In July 1974, Turkey landed forces on the northern part of Cyprus after the military coup of July 15, 1974. Turkish forces involved in operations were as follows:[citation needed ]
An airborne (parachute) brigade (Commander: Brig. Gen. Sabri Evren)
A commando brigade (Commander: Brig. Gen. Sabri Demirbağ')
A Special Strike Force Landing Brigade (Turkish Marines ) (Commander: Brig. Gen. Süleyman Tuncer)
The 39th Infantry Division (Commander: Maj. Gen. Bedrettin Demirel)
The 28th Infantry Division (Commander: Maj.Gen. Osman Fazıl Polat)
Post invasion
It has been on Cyprus since the Turkish invasion of 1974 , and initially consisted of the following Turkish Army units:[citation needed ]
Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command
The corps reserve was at Kythrea (Değirmenlik) to the northeast of Nicosia.
Current (Post-2015)
28th Mechanized Infantry Division (Paşaköy, Kyrenia)
39th Mechanized Infantry Division (Çamlıbel, Morphou)
14th Armoured Brigade (Degirmenlik, Nicosia)
49th Special Force Regiment
41st Commando Regiment
109th Field Artillery Regiment
190th Marines Battalion
Communications Battalion
Central Command Military Police Battalion
Logistics Support Group (Kyrenia)
TRNC Coast Guard Command (238 Staff 36 Coast Guard Boats)
Strength
The original force of 40,000 troops was reduced with Turkish authorities claiming that the Turkish force in Cyprus had been reduced to 17,500 in the 1990s.[4] However, according to the UN Secretary-General “It is estimated that in recent years there have been in the northern part of the island a little under 30,000 armed forces of the Republic of Turkey (Turkish Forces) making it one of the most militarized areas in the world in terms of numbers of troops and numbers of civilian population. Recently moreover there have been indications that the total numbers of Turkish forces on the island may have increased” S994/680 7.6.1994.par.28[permanent dead link ] .
Turkish forces in Cyprus are part of the Turkish Aegean Army which is headquartered at Izmir in Turkey. However, the commander of the Turkish troops reports directly to the Turkish General Staff in the capital, Ankara. The force is responsible for all security and is not directly involved in political matters of northern Cyprus.[5]
Since 16 August 1974, the Turkish Army has retained control of the northern 36.2% of Cyprus.
Equipment in Northern Cyprus
See also
Notes
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain . Country Studies. Federal Research Division .
^ Slot, Pieter J.; Bulterman, Mielle K.; Meijers Instituut, E. M. (January 2004). Globalisation and Jurisdiction. ISBN 9789041123077 .
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2010-12-11 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link )
^ Turkey: A Country Study , p.350. Kessinger Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-4191-9126-8
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2010-12-11 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link )
^ "Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 98-11-19".
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ admin (2019-05-03). "trmilitarynews.com" (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-09-14 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "Türkiye'den KKTC polisine silah, zırhlı araç ve ekipman desteği". www.aa.com.tr . Retrieved 2023-06-29 .
^ "www.mavivatan.net". Twitter . Retrieved 2023-07-21 .
^ Kanal, Ulusal (2022-11-16). "www.ulusal.com" (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-06-30 .
^ "www.iletisim.gov.tr". www.iletisim.gov.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-06-30 .
^ "www.ulusal.com" (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-06-30 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "The Military Balance 2023". IISS . Retrieved 2023-06-28 .
^ "Türkiye, KKTC'de yangın söndürme helikopteri görevlendirdi". www.aa.com.tr . Retrieved 2023-06-29 .
^ "Türkiye'den yangın söndürme helikopteri". www.kibrisgazetesi.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-06-29 .
^ "Türkiye'nin Kuzey Kıbrıs'taki İHA'larından bölge ülkeleri tedirgin". euronews (in Turkish). 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2023-06-29 .
References
Cyprus Mail, Thursday, November 19, 1998
Phileleftheros, Wednesday, November 18, 1998
Cyprus News Agency, October 8, 1998
Cyprus News Agency, November 21, 1997
Cyprus News Agency, October 27, 1997
The Military Balance 1996/97, The International Institute for Strategic Studies, London.
2004 - 2005 Defence Bible (Stratigiki)
"Cyprus, 1974", by T. Cooper and N. Tselepidis, published October 28, 2003 for ACIG.org.
External links
2007 letter from Cypriot Government to UN, giving details of Turkish forces in Cyprus Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
The Cyprus Conflict A website with a selection of details, reports, documents, and personal accounts on the Cyprus dispute
Chronology - Cyprus Issue
Aspects of the Cyprus Problem from The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Archived 2019-05-20 at the Wayback Machine
Association Of Turkish Cypriots Abroad, A non-party-political organization with the aim of partitioning Cyprus
Commands 1st Army
2nd Corps
4th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
8th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
18th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
95th Armored Brigade
102nd Artillery Regiment
Corps Engineer Combat Regiment
5th Commando Regiment
41st Commando Brigade
3rd Corps
52nd Tactical Armored Division
2nd Armored Brigade
66th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
23rd Tactical Motorized Infantry Division
47th Motorized Infantry Regiment
5th Corps
1st Armored Brigade
3rd Armored Brigade
54th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
55th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
65th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
Corps Armored Cavalry Battalion
105th Artillery Regiment
2nd Army
4th Corps 6th Corps
5th Armored Brigade
20th Armored Brigade
39th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
106th Artillery Regiment
6th Mechanized Infantry Division
7th Corps
3rd Army
8th Corps
1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade
12th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
10th Motorized Infantry Brigade
34th Motorized Infantry Brigade
49th Motorized Infantry Brigade
51st Motorized Infantry Brigade
49th Commando Brigade
4th Commando Brigade
108th Artillery Regiment
17th Motorized Infantry Brigade
225th Motorized Infantry Brigade
7th Commando Brigade
9th Corps
9th Tactical Infantry Division
4th Armored Brigade
14th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
25th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
9th Motorized Infantry Brigade
25th Border Brigade
17th Commando Brigade
48th Motorized Infantry Brigade
109th Artillery Regiment
9th Commando Brigade
Aegean Army
Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Direct Command
57th Artillery Training Brigade
19th Infantry Brigade
11th Motorized Infantry Brigade
5th Army Aviation School Command
2nd Infantry Regiment
Commando Training School Command
3rd Infantry Training Brigade
1st Infantry Training Brigade
11th Commando Brigade