Cypriot National Guard

The National Guard of Cyprus, also called the Cypriot National Guard or Greek Cypriot National Guard, is the military force of the Republic of Cyprus. It was established in 1964 as a force made up mostly of ethnic Greeks, after the Cyprus crisis of 1963 to 1964 and the breakdown of relations between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. It has air, land, sea and special forces elements and is closely integrated with first and second line reserves, as well as civilian agencies and paramilitary forces that support it. Its stated mission is to take every measure needed to defend the Republic against invasion or any action aimed at its independence or territorial integrity. The main threat it names is the presence of about 40,000 Turkish troops in northern Cyprus. A Greek garrison of about 950 men, the Hellenic Force in Cyprus, is stationed on the island but is not officially part of the Cypriot military and mostly takes orders from the Hellenic Army General Staff in Athens.