Active 1993-present Branch Turkish Army Size Unknown | Country Turkey Type Commando Part of 1st Commando Brigade | |
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The Hakkari Mountain and Commando Brigade (Turkish: Hakkâri Dağ ve Komando Tugayı), stationed in Hakkâri Province at south-easternmost Turkey, founded as a subunit of the 1st Commando Brigade in the size of a battalion. With the rise of the Kurdish insurgency, the existing formation has been enlarged from the size of a battalion to a brigade.
Contents
The brigade has five commando battalions and an artillery battalion, which are deployed to different districts of Hakkari Province. Main task of this unit is to eliminate the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The unit lost around 700 troops in the clashes with the PKK.
Social service
In 2000, the servicemen of the unit started a lecturing program for high school students in Hakkari, who want to take part at the Student Selection and Placement Examination (ÖSYS), which is compulsory to enter a university in Turkey, lack however adequate financial means to visit a cram school. The next year, the lecturing service was extended to a four-group program including also students, who want to prepare themselves for the exams such as the high school entrance (LGS), foreign language proficiency (YDS) and postgraduate education (LES) in addition to a course for English language. Within four years, a total of 2,000 students benefited from this social service of the military at the cram school called "Mehmetçik Dershanesi". The lecturers, in total 19, are selected among the conscripties, who are professional teachers and serving short-term at the military.
President's visit
In October 2011, President Abdullah Gül inspected the unit and spent the night at the brigade during his official visit to Southeastern Anatolia Region.