Special Warfare Department

Special Warfare Department
Active 1965–1992
Country  Turkey
Branch Turkish Army
Type Special Operations

The Special Warfare Department (SWD, Turkish: Özel Harp Dairesi) was the special operations unit of the Turkish Army. Founded in 1965, it was formed out of the Army's Tactical Mobilisation Group (Turkish: Seferberlik Taktik Kurulu, STK).[1] It was disbanded in 1992, with special operations taken over by the new Special Forces Command.[2]

Former members include Korkut Eken.

History

The SWD was involved in the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, under the command of Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu. In 2010 Yirmibeşoğlu reported to the television news channel Habertürk TV that Turkey burned a mosque during the Cyprus conflict in order to foster civil resistance against Greeks on the disputed island, and that their rules of war included "false flag" acts, engaging in acts of sabotage made to look as if they were carried out by the enemy.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Turkey's Killing Machine: The Contra-Guerrilla Force, Serdar Celik, in Kurdistan Report. No.17. February/March 1994
  2. ↑ Uslu, Emrullah (July 10, 2008). [tt_news=5045 "Tackling the PKK: New Directions for Turkey's Special Forces"]. TerrorismMonitor (Jamestown Foundation) VI (14): 9–11.
  3. ↑ Bloomberg, 24 September 2010, Turkey burned mosque during Cyprus conflict, general says

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