The Turkish army has launched a plan to increase the number of its elite units (commandos) as part of a wide-ranging military restructuring aimed at addressing new operational requirements identified in the wake of conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and the regional tensions in the Middle East between the United States, Israel and Iran.
Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk, spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of National Defence, made some important statements during his weekly briefing held on the campus of the Rectorate of the National Defence University, a military academy located in Istanbul. During his address, Aktürk took the opportunity to convey his condolences to the families of the eight students and the lecturer who died in the deadly shooting that took place yesterday in Kahramanmaraş, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured, according to reports by Turkish media.
Speaking on the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the Turkish defence spokesperson stated: “We hope that this war, whose regional and global effects are being felt increasingly, will end as soon as possible, and that the parties will act constructively in the ongoing negotiation process. Meanwhile, the attacks by Israel, which form part of its regional expansionism, continue. The attacks in Lebanon not only undermine the country’s territorial integrity, but also the stability and peace of the region, and disrupt the ongoing negotiation process. Whilst we welcome the start of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, we note that Israel’s attacks, which are incompatible with the spirit of negotiation, are the greatest obstacle to achieving a positive outcome.”
Aktürk also emphasised that the Turkish Armed Forces continue to carry out counter-terrorism operations and ensure national security on land, at sea and in the air with “determination and resolve”, and highlighted that the Turkish army continues to strengthen and modernise its capabilities through the national defence industry, adding new assets to its inventory such as the ‘Fırtına-2’ howitzers and the Akıncı attack drones.
Turkey has the second-largest land army in NATO, behind the US
When asked about an increase in elite units within the Armed Forces of Türkiye, the spokesperson indicated that the Ministry of Defence keeps abreast of developments in warfare and technology: “In this context, the Turkish Armed Forces are constantly updating their organisational structure in line with the experiences and needs arising from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the US and Israeli attacks on Iran”.
“Within this framework, studies have been launched to increase the number of commando brigades. It is envisaged that the new commando brigades to be established will be organised with a modern approach, in line with current threat assessments and operational concepts, unlike existing organisational structures,” added the military spokesperson.
The Turkish Land Forces are the second largest in NATO, with more than 480,000 active-duty personnel, to which must be added 380,000 reservists; they are surpassed only by the United States, which has 1.3 million active-duty personnel. As for its elite units within its operational structure, the Turkish army currently has eight commando brigades and a mountain commando brigade, integrated into a structure comprising four armies and nine corps.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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