View source for Security Forces Command

{{Short description|Police and military of Northern Cyprus}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} 
{{Infobox national military
| name = Security Forces Command
| native_name = {{Lang|tr|Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı}}
| image= File:GKK logo.jpg
| caption= Security Forces Command emblem     
| founded= 1976
| branches=
* [[Aviation Unit Command]]
* [[TRNC Coast Guard Command|Coastal Guard Command]]
* [[Directorate General for Police]]
| headquarters= Boğaz, [[Girne]]
| commander= Major Gen. Zorlu Topaloğlu
| commander_title= Commander
| active= 15,000
| reserve= 7,000
| amount=                
| percent_GDP=                                        
| age= 18 
| manpower_age= 18-40
| available=         
| fit=               
| reaching=          
| conscription = 8 to 15 months
| domestic suppliers=                  
| foreign_suppliers= {{TUR}}
| exports=                     
| imports=
| history = [[Turkish Resistance Organisation|Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT)]] 
|website = {{url|https://www.mucahit.gov.ct.tr/}}
}}
[[File:Northern Cyprus Republic Day parade 2007 2.JPG|thumb|right|[[Turkish Cypriot]] soldiers of the Security Forces Command perform during the 2007 Republic Day parade.]]
The '''Security Forces Command''' ({{langx|tr|Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı}})<ref name=securityforce>{{cite web|title=Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı|url=http://www.guvkk.net|access-date=13 May 2014}}</ref> is the military and security force of the unrecognized [[Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]].

It is a 15,000 strong force primarily made up of conscripted [[Turkish Cypriot]] males between the ages of 18 and 40. It is a [[combined arms]] force, with land, air and naval arms, plus police and fire elements.

This force is supplemented by the 17,500–30,000 strong [[Turkish Military Forces in Northern Cyprus]] stationed on the island.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+cy0158%29 |title=Library of Congress |access-date=4 March 2016 |archive-date=11 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811151131/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+cy0158) |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>''Turkey: A Country Study'', p.350. [[Kessinger Publishing]], 2004. {{ISBN|1-4191-9126-8}}</ref>

==History==

The Republic of Cyprus' constitution provided for a bi-communal army (i.e. Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot) on a 60/40 per cent basis. The Cyprus army composed by both main Cypriot ethnic groups was created in 1960 yet was dismantled in the scope of the interethnic conflict 1963-4.<ref>Efthymiou S.A. (2019) Nationalism, Militarism and Masculinity After the Construction of the Border. In: Nationalism, Militarism and Masculinity in Post-Conflict Cyprus. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14702-0_2</ref> Since then, both communities have maintained their independent armed forces. Even before independence, the Turkish Cypriot community (and similarly the Greek Cypriot community) maintained its own paramilitary force (the Türk Mukavemet Teşkilatı or [[Turkish Resistance Organization|TMT]]), trained and equipped by the [[Turkish Army]] (ibid). In 1967 this force was renamed the Mücahit ("[[Mujahideen]]"), and in 1975 the Mücahit was renamed the Turkish Cypriot Security Force.<ref name="SolstenDivision1993">{{cite book|author1=Eric Solsten|author2=Library of Congress. Federal Research Division|title=Cyprus, a country study|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5UuFAAAAIAAJ|year=1993|publisher=Federal Research Division, Library of Congress|isbn=978-0-8444-0752-4|page=232|quote=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.}}</ref> In 1974, Turkey led an invasion of 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 fighting in Cyprus and the island continues to be divided.

==Organization==

The Turkish Cypriot Security Force is under the command of an officer of the Turkish Army. The officer is appointed by the [[Turkish Armed Forces]] and holds the rank of [[major general]], whereas the head of the [[Turkish military forces in Northern Cyprus]] holds a higher rank as [[lieutenant general]].<ref name="SolstenDivision1993"/><ref>{{cite web|title=KTBK Komutanlığı'na Korgeneral İsmail Serdar Savaş, GKK Komutanlığı'na Tüm General Baki Kavun atandı|url=http://www.kibrispostasi.com/index.php/cat/36/news/85899|publisher=Kıbrıs Postası|access-date=9 April 2016|language=tr|date=5 August 2012}}</ref>

It includes 4 Infantry Regiments and the Coast Guard Command, two of which are expedition and the other two are (ready). In addition, the TRNC Police Organization is included in the Security Forces. The organization is as follows:

*1st Infantry Regiment - Hazir (ready)
*2nd Infantry Regiment - Seferi (mobile)
*3rd Infantry Regiment - Seferi (mobile)
*4th Infantry Regiment - Hazir (ready)
*[[Aviation Unit Command]]
*[[TRNC Coast Guard Command]]
*[[Directorate General for Police]], includes the Fire and Rescue Service <ref>{{Cite web | title=KKTC Polis Genel Müdürlüðü - TRNC Police Headquarters - Araçlar | url=https://www.polis.gov.ct.tr/araclar.aspx.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328091403/http://polis.gov.ct.tr:80/araclar.aspx.html | access-date=2025-05-29 | archive-date=2014-03-28}}</ref>
*[[TRNC Special Task Force Command|Special Task Force Command]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Özel Görev Kuvveti Komutanlığı - Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı|url=http://www.mucahit.net/Hakkinda/OGK.aspx|access-date=2021-02-13|website=www.mucahit.net|archive-date=2 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502105938/http://www.mucahit.net/Hakkinda/OGK.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>  
*Logistics Support Command  
*UAV command in [[Geçitkale Air Base]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Türkiye'den KKTC'ye ilk Bayraktar TB2 İHA indi|url=https://www.baykarsavunma.com/haber-Turkiyeden-KKTCye-ilk-Bayraktar-TB2-IHA-indi.html|access-date=2021-04-20|website=BaykarSavunma|language=tr}}</ref>

According to observers a large part of its budget was covered by the Turkish army, upon which it depended for training and equipment. It is also believed that the majority of its officers came from the ranks of the Turkish Army officer corps on temporary leave from their regular duties and its operations were controlled by the Turkish army.<ref name="SolstenDivision1993"/>

==Strength==
[[file:G.K.K Komandoları Geçiş Töreni.jpg|thumb|G.K.K Commandos Passage Ceremony.]]
[[file:Saygı Duruşunda'ki Kıbrıslı Türk Askerler.jpg|thumb|Turkish Cypriot Soldiers.]]

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.<ref name="SolstenDivision1993"/>
	
Turkish Cyprus's Coast Guard has 36 vessels.<ref>[http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/transport/2015/06/04/cyprus-plans-for-privatisation-of-turkish-cypriot-ports_94d689ad-5ddb-4a79-bf08-d3381e981202.html Ansamed, 04 June 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904041402/https://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/transport/2015/06/04/cyprus-plans-for-privatisation-of-turkish-cypriot-ports_94d689ad-5ddb-4a79-bf08-d3381e981202.html |date=4 September 2021 }} Northern Cyprus' Coast Guard</ref> Coast Guard operates: KKTC SG 01 (Class: Turk type 80; construction:1997-2000; active since:2000)<ref>[http://arsiv.ntvmsnbc.com/news/17911.asp NTVMSNBC] 16.07.2000</ref>

In March, 2023, Turkish Cyprus's Coast Guard started to operate TRNC SG-110 (BOĞAZ), TRNC SG-111 (LEFKE) and TRNC SG-112 (SERDARLI) modern assault boats.<ref>[https://www.kibrispostasi.com/c35-KIBRIS_HABERLERI/n464430-sahil-guvenlik-komutanligina-tedarik-edilen-botlarin-hizmete-giris-toreni-yapildi Kibrispostasi, 20 March 2023] The commissioning ceremony of the boats supplied to the Coast Guard Command was held.</ref>

== Military ranks of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ==

Due to its close ties to [[Turkey]], Northern Cyprus shares a rank structure similar to that of Turkey.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dyer |first1=Gwynne |editor1-last=Keegan |editor1-first=John |title=World armies |date=1979 |publisher=Royal Military Academy |location=Sandhurst |lccn=79-9217 |page=162 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/worldarmies00keeg/page/68/mode/2up |chapter-url-access=registration |access-date=27 January 2022 |chapter=Cyprus|isbn=9780871964076 }}</ref>

===Commissioned officer ranks===

The rank insignia of [[commissioned officer]]s.

{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OF/Northern Cyprus}}
|}

===Other ranks===

The rank insignia of [[non-commissioned officer]]s and [[Enlisted rank|enlisted personnel]].

{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/Blank}}
{{Ranks and insignia of Non NATO armies/OR/Northern Cyprus}}
|}

== Compulsory military service ==

According to the TRNC Constitution, every male citizen has a military service obligation. The recruitment age is 18 years.

Military service periods:

* 15 months in private equilibrium
* 12 months in reserve officer equivalent
* Reserve officer, sergeant equivalent 12 months
* 8 months in short term equilibrium
* It is 1 month provided that it fulfills its special status (paid and / or short term service) obligation.

==See also==

* [[Turkish Armed Forces in Northern Cyprus|Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command]]
* [[Cypriot National Guard]]
* [[Hellenic Force in Cyprus]]
* [[Directorate General for Police]]

==References==

{{Country study}}
;Bibliography
* Christopher Hitchens - Cyprus, Hostage to History: From the Ottomans to Kissinger
;Notes
{{reflist}}

==External links==

* [http://www.mucahit.net Official website] (Turkish)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080708195542/http://militarizmi.reddet.org/5.htm Military of Northern Cyprus on Reddet]
* [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html Library of Congress - Country Study]
* [http://www.cypnet.com/.ncyprus/root.html Cypnet]

{{Northern Cyprus topics}}
{{Military of Europe}}
{{Military of Asia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Northern Cyprus Armed Forces}}
[[Category:Armies by country|Northern Cyprus]]
[[Category:Cyprus and the Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:Military of Cyprus|Northern Cyprus]]
[[Category:Military of Northern Cyprus]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1976]]
[[Category:1976 establishments in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Law enforcement in Cyprus|Northern Cyprus]]
[[Category:Law enforcement in Northern Cyprus]]