Özel Harp Dairesi

Overview

The Özel Harp Dairesi (ÖHD, Special Warfare Department) was a clandestine special operations unit within the Turkish Armed Forces, established to conduct irregular warfare and counter-insurgency operations. Initially founded in 1952 as the Seferberlik Tetkik Kurulu (ST、区 Mobilization Group, STK), it was renamed ÖHD in 1967. The unit, also known as the Counter-Guerrilla (Kontrgerilla), was restructured in 1992 into the Special Forces Command (Özel Kuvvetler Komutanlığı, ÖKK). The ÖHD was tasked with preparing for resistance against a potential Soviet invasion but expanded its role to combat internal threats, particularly communism and separatism, often through controversial and violent means. The Counter-Guerrilla, its operational arm, was implicated in numerous acts of political violence, including assassinations, bombings, and torture, aimed at suppressing leftist and Kurdish movements during the Cold War era.

Key Details

• Formation: Established on September 27, 1952, under Brigadier General Daniş Karabelen, who, along with 15 other Turkish officers (including Alparslan Türkeş), was trained in special warfare by the U.S. in 1948. The STK operated out of the American Aid Delegation (JUSMATT) building in Ankara, under CIA oversight.

• Evolution: Renamed ÖHD in 1967 under General Cihat Akyol, it became known as the “army within the army” for its secretive operations. In 1992, due to tensions with the U.S. over Kurdish issues, Chief of Staff Doğan Güreş restructured it into the ÖKK, known as the Maroon Berets, which continues special operations today.

• Activities: The ÖHD was involved in the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, supporting the Turkish Resistance Organization (TMT), and in counter-insurgency against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from the 1980s. It was also linked to the 1955 Istanbul Pogrom (6–7 September events), where General Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu later admitted the attacks on minorities were a “magnificent” ÖHD operation to incite anti-Greek sentiment.

• Controversies: The Counter-Guerrilla was accused of orchestrating political violence, including the 1977 Taksim Square massacre, the 1978 Maraş massacre, and numerous unsolved murders (1,797 reported in 1992–1993 alone). It allegedly protected groups like the Grey Wolves, responsible for thousands of deaths during the 1970s political violence.

• Secrecy: The ÖHD’s existence was largely unknown to Turkish civilian leadership until 1974, when Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit was informed of its operations after requesting funding, revealing its CIA-backed budget of approximately $1 million annually until 1973–74.

Connection to Operation Gladio

Operation Gladio was a NATO- and CIA-orchestrated “stay-behind” operation across Western Europe and allied countries to prepare for guerrilla resistance against a potential Soviet invasion. In Turkey, the ÖHD/Counter-Guerrilla was the local branch of this operation, explicitly linked to NATO’s Allied Coordination Committee (ACC) and the CIA, with a broader mission to counter communism domestically and regionally.

Establishment and NATO/CIA Ties:

Turkey joined NATO in 1952, and the STK was established that year as part of NATO’s “Super NATO” structure, operating under CIA control from the JUSMATT building in Ankara. A 1959 U.S.-Turkey military accord explicitly allowed the Counter-Guerrilla to act against “internal rebellion against the regime,” expanding its role beyond Soviet threats.

The ÖHD was funded and trained by the U.S., with American special warfare manuals (e.g., FM 31/16, FM 31/21) translated into Turkish for training in counter-guerrilla tactics, sabotage, and psychological warfare.

Key figures, including Alparslan Türkeş, a founding member and later leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and its Grey Wolves youth wing, were trained by the CIA, suggesting recruitment into Gladio’s broader network.

Shared Objectives and Tactics:

Like other Gladio branches (e.g., Italy’s Gladio, Belgium’s Glavia), the ÖHD aimed to prevent communist influence through covert operations, including false-flag attacks and support for militias. The 1955 Istanbul Pogrom and the 1970s violence against leftists and Kurds mirror Gladio’s “strategy of tension” in Europe, designed to create fear and justify authoritarian measures.

The ÖHD’s civilian arm, known as the White Forces, included “patriotic volunteers” who were secretly armed and trained, similar to Gladio’s civilian networks in other countries. These volunteers were implicated in political assassinations, such as that of journalist Abdi İpekçi, and the escape of his killer, Mehmet Ali Ağca, linked to the Grey Wolves.

The ÖHD’s involvement in the 1971 and 1980 military coups, led by figures like General Kenan Evren (head of Counter-Guerrilla), reflects Gladio’s role in supporting “anti-communist” regimes. High-ranking ÖHD officers, including Memduh Tağmaç, Faik Türün, and Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu, were key coup plotters.

Ziverbey Interrogations:

After the 1971 coup, the Ziverbey Villa in Istanbul was used by the Counter-Guerrilla for brutal interrogations of leftists, including intellectuals like İlhan Selçuk and Uğur Mumcu. Interrogators identified themselves as “Counter-Guerrillas,” claiming to be above the law, using techniques learned from U.S. methods during the Korean War.

These interrogations, involving torture inspired by Korean War POW methods, were part of Gladio’s broader anti-communist campaign, targeting perceived subversive elements.

Aginter Press and International Links:

The CIA-backed Aginter Press, a Gladio-affiliated front in Portugal, trained militants in covert operations, including those potentially linked to Turkish operatives. While direct evidence of ÖHD collaboration with Aginter Press is limited, their shared “anti-communist” goals and CIA connections suggest possible coordination, particularly in Cyprus and against leftist movements in the region.

Secrecy and Exposure:

The ÖHD’s Gladio connection was officially acknowledged in 1990 by Generals Doğan Beyazıt and Kemal Yilmaz, who confirmed its role in preparing for “communist occupation” but denied Counter-Guerrilla activities, despite evidence to the contrary. This followed former CIA chief William Colby’s revelation of a Turkish Gladio branch.

Unlike Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland, which conducted parliamentary inquiries into Gladio, Turkey did not fully investigate the ÖHD, and its activities remained largely unaccountable. Former President Süleyman Demirel described the “deep state” as the military itself, suggesting the ÖHD’s integration into Turkey’s state structure.

The 1996 Susurluk scandal, involving a car crash revealing ties between ÖHD operatives, the Grey Wolves, and organized crime, and the 2007 Ergenekon investigations, which arrested ÖHD-linked figures like Veli Küçük and Arif Doğan (JITEM founders), exposed some of its operations, but censorship of JITEM archives limited accountability.

Critical Perspective

The ÖHD/Counter-Guerrilla was a core component of Operation Gladio in Turkey, designed to resist Soviet invasion but primarily used to suppress internal nationalist and Kurdish movements through violence and terror. Its CIA and NATO backing, use of groups like the Grey Wolves, and involvement in coups and massacres align with Gladio’s broader “strategy of tension.” Unlike European Gladio branches, which were largely dismantled after the Cold War, the ÖHD’s transformation into the ÖKK and its deep integration into Turkey’s “deep state” suggest it persisted in a localized form, as noted in posts on X and by historians like Daniele Ganser.