ANKARA - Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) contributes to settlement of security and peace in the problematic regions of the world by actively taking part in international missions like operation and observation.
Turkey, which took the first step in military integration with international community by taking part in the United Nations (U.N.) force during the 1950-1953 Korean War, has had many international military partnership as a NATO member after the war.
Turkey has taken its place in international peace forces formed against incidents that occurred in Somalia, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and Afghanistan as ''mass threats were replaced with uncertain threats in the post Cold War era.''
Joining the ''Operation Hope'' of the U.N. staged between January 2, 1993 and February 24, 1994 in order to end enmity among groups in Somalia and to ensure a secure atmosphere for humanitarian aid with 300 soldiers, Turkey commanded the peace force for some time.
Later, Turkish Armed Forces joined the multi-national force led by Italy in line with the decision of the U.N. Security Council assistance to Albania. Turkey extended assistance as of April 1997 with a marine infantry battalion comprised of 779 soldiers. Turkish unit which was on duty in Tirana and north of the country returned to Turkey on August 1, 1997 after Turkish citizens in Albania had been evacuated securely.

-BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA-

Turkey took part in the U.N. Protection Force (UNPROFOR) formed to settle and maintain secure regions for humanitarian aid after the incidents in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
TSK was deployed in the region with a regiment comprised of 1,400 soldiers between August 4, 1993 and December 31, 1995 and reinforced the peace force as the Dayton Agreement was put into practice in Bosnia-Herzegovina. A Turkish brigade joined Implementation Force (IFOR) on December 20, 1995. Turkish brigade was replaced by a battalion on December 20, 1996 after IFOR accomplished its mission and assigned to Stabilization Force (SFOR). First Mechanized Turkish battalion in Bosnia-Herzegovina is still on mission to ensure peace in Zenica with 844 personnel under the name Bosnia-Herzegovina Turkish Battalion Mission Force Command.
Two frigates, fuel oil ships and mine-sweeper ships of Turkish Naval Forces joined the ''Operation Sharp Guard'' staged in Adriatic Sea in parallel with UNPROFOR and IFOR between July 13, 1992 and October 2, 1996. Besides 18 frigates, two submarines, four fuel oil ships and almost 5 thousand soldiers joined this mission.
Turkey sent a F-16 fleet to the region on April 25, 1993 to control the flight ban over air space of Bosnia-Herzegovina and almost 2,500 personnel served there.

-KOSOVO CRISIS-

TSK supported the NATO operation on Kosovo which was launched on March 24, 1999 as the crisis in Kosovo turned into armed clashes with 10 F-16 war planes. Turkish armed forces flew over the region day and night during the operation for more than 2 thousand hours. Turkey, which kept ready three KC-135 tanker planes in Incirlik and 8 F-16 planes in Bandirma within the scope of the operation, also assigned a Turkish frigate and a mine-sweeper in Adriatic Sea during the operation.
Turkey joined the force consisting of almost 42 thousand people formed in order to implement the peace agreement signed between NATO and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and to find a solution to Kosovo crisis, with a mechanized infantry battalion.
TSK, which sent a unit to ensure the security of supplying routes of units serving in Kosovo, deployed a military police team to ensure internal security of communication headquarters in Albania and an infantry team to ensure security of the KFOR back headquarters in Macedonia.
After refugee inflows to Macedonia and Albania, a Turkish field company took part in AFOR in Albania between May 18 and September 7, 1999.
TSK joined the ''Operation Essential Harvest'' in Macedonia with a company on August 27, 2001. The unit which was deployed in Petrovac accomplished mission on October 6, 2001 and TSK sent four headquarter personnel to ''Operation Amber Fox'' which was launched in September 27, 2001 to extend support to international observers in Macedonia.

-AFGHANISTAN-

Turkey once more proved the importance it attributes to world peace by joining the ''Operation Enduring Freedom'' which was launched against the terrorist attacks on the United States.
TSK which joined the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) formed to ensure peace in Afghanistan with a unit of 276 people took over the ISAF command on June 20, 2002.
Turkish Armed Forces sent almost 1,500 personnel to Afghanistan and was on mission in and around Kabul till February 10, 2003. TSK put into practice 175 projects on education, health, rehabilitation of city water, encouragement of local administration, infrastructure and agriculture together with the civilian people and commanded the Kabul Airport during its ISAF mission.
TSK trained the Afghan national guard battalion for ten weeks and also accomplished training of 794 guards who would protect ministers and high-level state officials of Afghanistan and destruction of 175 thousand ammunition. Turkish Armed Forces is still in international assistance force in Kabul with a company.

-U.N. MILITARY OBSERVATION MISSIONS-

Turkish Armed Forces also fulfilled many military observation missions within the scope of the U.N. as well as the peace operations.
Turkey served military observation mission in the name of the U.N. in five sensitive regions from Bosnia-Herzegovina to East Timor.
TSK is serving Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Georgia and the mission to maintain peace in West Bank on behalf of Israel and Palestine with 30 soldiers.
Turkey fulfilled its first observation mission within the scope of the U.N. after Iran-Iraq war with ten observers. These observers monitored the withdrawal of the units between August 1988 and May 1991. TSK then undertook responsibility in Iraq-Kuwait border and Abdullah Gulf within the auspices of U.N. Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) and sent 63 personnel to the region since May 21, 1991. Turkey is still fulfilling observation mission in Kuwait with six officers.

-GEORGIA-ABKHAZIA-

TSK assigned 64 personnel to U.N. Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) to control the implementation of the cease-fire agreement between Georgia and Abkhazia. Five Turkish observers are still in the region to inform the U.N. Secretariat General about the violations.
TSK joined the OSCE observer mission formed at the border of Georgia to control the refugee inflow which started after the operation of the Russian Federation against Chechnya with one observer on February 20, 2000. Turkish Armed Forces increased the number of its observers in the region to two as of April 7, 2002.

-HEBRON-

Turkey joined the Temporary International Presence established to monitor and report the transfer of Hebron to Palestinian administration after its evacuation by Israeli forces on February 1, 1997. Twelve Turkish personnel are still in the region.

-EAST TIMOR-

Turkey, which joined the military observers group in East Timor on February 1, 2000, is following activities to ensure security and stability in the region with two personnel.
Besides military observation missions, Turkey also undertakes military advisory missions. One Turkish officer has been serving the military advisory team formed as a part of U.N. Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina (UNMIBH) since January 8, 2001 and two gendarmerie officers have been on duty in International Police Task Force (IPTF) deployed in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
(BRC-AÖ) 15.08.2003