Military of Northern Cyprus
Encyclopedia
The Turkish Cypriot Security Force is the military and security force of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
, whose independence is recognized only by Turkey and the United Nations considers to be a Turkish-Occupied territory.
It is a 9,000 strong force primarily made up of conscripted Turkish Cypriot males between the ages of 20 and 40. It is a combined arms
force, with land, air and naval elements.
This force is supplemented by the 30,000 strong Turkish Military Forces in Northern Cyprus stationed on the island.
), trained and equipped by the Turkish Army
. In 1967 this force was renamed the Mücahit (fighter), and in 1975 the Mücahit was renamed the Turkish Cypriot Security Force. In 1974, Turkey led a land invasion of Northern Cyprus with the aim of protecting the Turkish minority population after a Greek-inspired coup brought a threat of union of the island with Greece. Since then there have been no major fight for Cyprus and the nation continues to be an independent country, though strongly linked with Turkey militarly and politically.
Although legally separate from the Turkish Army on the island, the Turkish Cypriot Security Force was believed to remain under the de facto operational control of the Turkish forces. It also depended on Turkey for training and equipment. Most of its officers were regular Turkish Army officers on secondment. Observers believed that many of its expenses were absorbed by the Turkish Army.
Turkish Cypriot males were liable to conscription at age eighteen for a twenty-four-month period of service. However, this is easily overcome by wealthy individuals following a moderate monetary fee. Discharged soldiers served in the reserves until the age of fifty. The number of first-line and second-line reserves was estimated at 10,000 and 16,000, respectively, as of 2009.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Northern Cyprus or North Cyprus , officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus , is a self-declared state that comprises the northeastern part of the island of Cyprus...
, whose independence is recognized only by Turkey and the United Nations considers to be a Turkish-Occupied territory.
It is a 9,000 strong force primarily made up of conscripted Turkish Cypriot males between the ages of 20 and 40. It is a combined arms
Combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different branches of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects...
force, with land, air and naval elements.
This force is supplemented by the 30,000 strong Turkish Military Forces in Northern Cyprus stationed on the island.
History
Even before independence, the Turkish Cypriot community maintained its own paramilitary force (the Türk Mukavemet Teşkilatı or TMTTurkish Resistance Organization
The Turkish Resistance Organisation was a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation formed by Rauf Denktaş and Turkish military officer Rıza Vuruşkan in 1958 as a defence organisation to counter the Greek Cypriot Fighter's Organisation EOKA....
), trained and equipped by the Turkish Army
Turkish Army
The Turkish Army or Turkish Land Forces is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The modern history of the army began with its formation after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire...
. In 1967 this force was renamed the Mücahit (fighter), and in 1975 the Mücahit was renamed the Turkish Cypriot Security Force. In 1974, Turkey led a land invasion of Northern Cyprus with the aim of protecting the Turkish minority population after a Greek-inspired coup brought a threat of union of the island with Greece. Since then there have been no major fight for Cyprus and the nation continues to be an independent country, though strongly linked with Turkey militarly and politically.
Organization
The Turkish Cypriot Security Force was commanded by a General officer of the Turkish Army, who had both operational and administrative responsibilities, as well as control over the police force. The commander was responsible to the prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ("TRNC") through the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense. A unified military-civilian defense staff of the ministry was responsible for defense policy and strategy.Although legally separate from the Turkish Army on the island, the Turkish Cypriot Security Force was believed to remain under the de facto operational control of the Turkish forces. It also depended on Turkey for training and equipment. Most of its officers were regular Turkish Army officers on secondment. Observers believed that many of its expenses were absorbed by the Turkish Army.
Turkish Cypriot males were liable to conscription at age eighteen for a twenty-four-month period of service. However, this is easily overcome by wealthy individuals following a moderate monetary fee. Discharged soldiers served in the reserves until the age of fifty. The number of first-line and second-line reserves was estimated at 10,000 and 16,000, respectively, as of 2009.
Strength
As of 2009, the strength of this force was believed to be about 9,000. It was organized into fifteen battalions in two brigades, infantry battalions armed with light weapons plus some artillery units equipped with mortars.Infantry Weapons
- HK G3-A7 Main Service Assault RifleAssault rifleAn assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
- M-30M30 107 mm MortarThe M30 107 mm heavy mortar is an American rifled, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for long-range indirect fire support to infantry units.-Design:...
MortarMortar (weapon)A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
- MG3 Light Machine GunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
- MP5 Submachine GunSubmachine gunA submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
- Zigana PistolPistolWhen distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
- M72 LAWM72 LAWThe M72 LAW is a portable one-shot 66 mm unguided anti-tank weapon, designed in the United States by Paul V. Choate, Charles B. Weeks, and Frank A. Spinale et al...
Anti-Tank Rocket
- Kalekalıp Avunya Sniper RifleSniper rifleIn military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...
See also
- Cyprus Turkish Peace ForceCyprus Turkish Peace ForceThe Turkish Armed Forces in Northern Cyprus officially the Cyprus Turkish Peace Force is the Turkish military garrison on Cyprus...
(TUPFICYP) - the Turkish military forces based in the Turkish Republic of Northern CyprusTurkish Republic of Northern CyprusNorthern Cyprus or North Cyprus , officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus , is a self-declared state that comprises the northeastern part of the island of Cyprus...
. - Cypriot National GuardCypriot National GuardThe Cypriot National Guard , also known as the "Greek Cypriot National Guard" or simply as "National Guard", is the combined arms military force of the Republic of Cyprus...
- Hellenic Force in Cyprus ELDYK