The Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command () 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.
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:
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:
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:
Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command 28th Infantry Division - headquartered at Asha (Paşaköy) to the northeast of Nicosia, and the 39th Infantry Division - headquartered at Camlibel within the district of Girne. A Special Force Regiment An Artillery Regiment
The corps reserve was at Kythrea (Değirmenlik) to the northeast of Nicosia.
There were Turkish armoured units operating on the island since shortly after the 1974 invasion, but the 14th Armoured Brigade was not established there until 1997.https://www.msb.gov.tr/SlaytHaber/336f239b91a44e069c34dc75244b129d; https://x.com/tcsavunma/status/2078895640050839672 In 2004, the Library of Congress Country Studies recorded the brigade as being located at Asha (Paşaköy) with M48 Patton & M60 Patton tanks.Turkey: A Country Study, p.350. Kessinger Publishing, 2004.
Current (2015–present) 28th Mechanized Infantry Division (Paşaköy, Kyrenia) 230th Mechanized Infantry Regiment (Turkey) other regiments and smaller units 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)
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. 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.
Turkish forces in Cyprus are part of the Turkish Aegean Army which is headquartered at İzmir 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.
Since 16 August 1974, the Turkish Army has retained control of the northern 36.2% of Cyprus.
Equipment in Northern Cyprus Main battle tanks +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityM48 PattonA5T2287M60 PattonN/AN/A
Armoured fighting vehicles +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityFNSS ACV-15/ ACV-AIFV145
Armoured personnel carriers +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityFNSS ACV-15/ ACV-AAPC70M113M113 A1/A2418
MRAP vehicles +NameImageOriginNoteBMC VuranUsed by Police forces.
Multi-purpose vehicles +NameImageOriginRoleBMC Amazon-Multi-purpose vehicleOtokar Akrep-Reconnaissance vehicleOtokar EngerekSpecial operations vehicleLand Rover DefenderUtility vehicle
Self-propelled artillery +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityT-155 Fırtına/ Fırtına I4M52M52T1144M44M44T30
Multiple rocket launchers +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityT-122 Sakarya TR-122 TRG-122
TRLG-122
TRB-12218
Field artillery +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityM101M101A136M114M114A236M11512
Anti-tank missiles/tank destroyers +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityTank DestroyerFNSS ACV-15/ ACV-TOW66Anti-tank missilesMILAN/ I/II-BGM-71 TOWI/I-9M133 KornetKornet-E-Rocket propelledM72 LAWHAR 66-RPG-7-
Recoilless rifles +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityM40M40A1219
Mortars +NameImageOriginCaliberQuantityMKEK UT/NT1-81mm171HY-12-81mm 120mm135M30107mm70
Anti-aircraft +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityRh-20220mm44GAI-D0135mm78GDF-00316FIM-92 StingerA/C-
Aircraft/helicopters/UAVs +NameImageOriginVariantQuantityAircraftCessna 185U173HelicoptersAS532 Cougar /UL2UH-1 IroquoisAB-2051Aerial FirefightingKamov Ka-27Ka-32-Mil Mi-17/ Mi-17-Unmanned Aerial VehiclesBayraktar TB2A/B-
See also TRNC Coast Guard Command Security Forces Command Hellenic Force in Cyprus
Notes
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 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 Association Of Turkish Cypriots Abroad , A non-party-political organization with the aim of partitioning Cyprus