The Turkish armed forces are mulling the prospect of stationing a new commando brigade in the mountains above Kyrenia, the Cyprus Mail understands.

Turkish defence ministry spokesman rear admiral Zeki Akturk had confirmed on Thursday that “work has begun to increase the number of commando brigades” in operation in the Turkish armed forces.

He said that this work is being carried out “in line with the experiences and needs gained following the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the US’ and Israeli attacks on Iran”.

“The new commando brigades to be established are planned to be organised within a modern approach, in accordance with current threat assessments and operational concepts, and differing from existing organisational structures,” he said.

His comments come after Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler had said last week that he aims to increase the number of operational Turkish commando brigades from 25 to 40 within the next three years.

“These brigades are the units which best apply hybrid warfare techniques, which are gaining importance today,” he said, while announcing that Turkey will take over the command of Nato’s allied reaction force for two years from 2028.

Intelligence sources have since informed the Cyprus Mail that according to the Turkish military’s current plans, one of those new commando brigades will be based in Alevkaya, which is located east of Kyrenia, between the Nicosia district village of Kalyvakia and the Kyrenia district village of Charkeia, atop the Pentadaktylos mountains.

It is understood that there is already a Turkish regiment based near Alevkaya, and that the current plans foresee the expansion of that stationing into a full-blown brigade, which would entail the stationing of more soldiers, and more skilled soldiers, in the area.

At present, every Turkish commando brigade is stationed within the borders of the Republic of Turkey, with most brigades being stationed in the country’s east and a few being stationed in the Aegean sea region.

Turkish commandos wear distinctive blue berets, and have historically been deployed in various theatres by the Turkish armed forces, most recently carrying out various operations in Syria prior to the fall of the regime led by Bashar al-Assad in 2024, as well as in operations carried out against the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) on both sides of Turkey’s border with Iraq.

Commando units were also involved in Cyprus in 1974, with brigades parachuting into the Kyrenia district village of Krini, as well as into Kioneli and Mandres near Nicosia.