MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA The Role of Turkish Special Forces in Operation Olive Branch OE Watch Commentary: Turkish Special Forces “JOH and POH have gained significant urban warfare Command (OKK), which is also known as the Maroon Berets, includes officers of various class and rank, non- experience in 2016 in Sur, Silopi, , Idil, Yuksekova, commissioned officers and expert sergeants. They are ve Sırnak. They have operational capability in all trained to operate in all types of terrain and climate while encountering internal and external threats to ’s kinds of terrain.” national security. In addition to the Maroon Berets, in recent years the Police Special Forces (POH) and Gendarmerie Special Forces (JOH) have carried out several operations against the Workers’ Party’s (PKK) youth affiliate (YPS previously YDG-H), especially in heavily urbanized areas. The accompanying excerpted articles provide information about the role Maroon Berets, the POH and JOH played during Turkish military operation in the Syrian city of Afrin.

The accompanying article from Turkish State-run Anadolu Agency focuses on the role of POH and JOH forces in Operation Olive Branch and why they were chosen to take part. According to the article, the two special forces units have the capability to organize coordinated attacks in both urban and rural terrain. They gained urban warfare Turkish female special forces police (PÖH), 2016. experience jointly combating the YPS in the Turkey’s Source:By http://im.haberturk.com/2016/09/17/1297688_efb8b9411466244266e681ffac5cc0ce_640x640.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Turkish_female_special_forces_police_(P%C3%96H).jpg. Kurdish cities Sur, Silopi, Cizre, Idil, Yuksekova, Nusaybin and Sirnak in 2016. A video accompanying the article shows these special forces in their full gear conducting searches in an unspecified residential area near Afrin. The video also shows that the POH and JOH carried MPT-76 infantry rifles that were made in Turkey. This rifle has effective firing range of 600 meters and has been equipped with night vision scopes.

The second accompanying passage, from the pro-government newspaper Sabah, states that the Maroon Berets were the critical units in Operation Olive Branch as the rest of units were selected and positioned according to the intelligence provided by these forces. Some of the Maroon Berets’ duties include surveillance on enemy positions and structures, infiltration into enemy territory, and carrying out counterterrorism operations. They operate under the OKK, which reports to the General Staff. According to the article, the type of the military hardware that was used in the operation was decided in accordance with the information by the Maroon Berets. For example, they requested Leopard tanks instead of MA63 tanks. The plan for Operation Olive Branch was prepared based on the information provided by the Maroon Berets. End OE Watch Commentary (Gunduz)

Source: Soner Kılınç, “JÖH ve PÖH’ler Afrin görevinde (JOHs and POHs are Source: Ahmet Topal, “Afrin’in anahtarı Özel Kuvvetler’de in duty in Afrin Duty),” Anadolu Agency, 1 March 2018. https://www.aa.com. (Afrin’s key is with Special Forces),” Sabah, 18 January tr/tr/turkiye/joh-ve-pohler-afrin-gorevinde-/1076904 2018. https://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/2018/01/18/ afrinin-anahtari-ozel-kuvvetlerde Within the scope of Operation Olive Brach that [was] carried out by the (TAF), the Gendarmerie Special Forces (JOH) and The most critical unit of the Afrin operation will be the Police Special Forces (POH), units that came from all over Turkey have been Special Forces. They will do the first infiltration. The other supporting the operation in the Afrin countryside. units in the field will take positions according to them …JOH and POH with joint operation capability have been deployed to the and they will proceed with the instructions of the Maroon bases that have established. They are conducting explosive destruction and Berets. home search activities, especially in residential areas when needed. …The Special Forces Command, operating directly under The specially trained JOH and POH teams, who search the villages cleared of the Chief of the General Staff, also completed its long- terrorists one by one, are vigilant against any terrorist infiltrations at night. standing preparations. The information gathered by Special Forces personnel from Afrin was effective in preparing the With the capability to work in rural terrain, JOH and POH perform their plans of the operation. duties continuously over 24 hours with their weapons reinforced with night vision… …Preparations were made according to the needs of the special forces. It was learned that Maroon Berets demanded …JOH and POH will carry out important duties in operations in Afrin city Leopard tanks instead of MA63 tanks…It was stated that the center. JOH and POH have gained significant urban warfare experience in commandos that were sent to the area were chosen from the 2016 in Sur, Silopi, Cizre, Idil, Yuksekova, Nusaybin ve Sırnak. They have experienced personnel who will adapt to the Maroon Berets. operational capability in all kinds of terrain. OE Watch | August 2018 42