ATHENS – While Greece and Turkey have dialed down tensions during a rapprochement, the appointment of Gen. Irfan Özsert as Commander of Turkey’s Aegean Army could pose a problem for Greece, said Nordic Monitor, which follows events in Turkey.

That army, the site said in a report, was set up in 1975 mostly as a counter to Greece and operates outside the integrated military structure of NATO, to which both countries belong, Turkey praised by the alliance despite buying Russian missile defenses.

The report said Özsert has often been directed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to execute clandestine operations designed to advance his political objectives, “which may not necessarily align with Turkey’s national security interests but serve narrower, more parochial goals.:

It added the appointment should be followed carefully by Greece as it “positions Özsert as a potentially dangerous figure, prepared to deploy Turkish military assets to bolster Erdogan’s regime and increase his political capital, which Erdogan can then use domestically or leverage in negotiations with foreign partners.

https://nordicmonitor.com/2024/08/the-new-command-in-turkeys-aegean-army-signals-potential-trouble-for-greece-nato-allies/

Özsert, who stays out of the public eye, had previously overseen secret operations abroad, including in Libya and Azerbaijan – which was aided by Turkey and Turkish drones in defeating Armenia in a short war.

“He has coordinated covert surveillance operations against NATO troops stationed in Turkey, monitored American officers on assignment in Turkey and played a key role in purging tens of thousands of pro-NATO officers from the military,” after a failed coup attempt against Erdogan in 2016, the report added.

It added: “In wartime scenarios on Turkey’s western front, particularly concerning Greece, the Aegean Army has historically been designated as a principal military force with the authority to assume command over other military units and assets.”

The site said that one of Turkey’s secret war plans against Greece  envisions a central role for the Aegean Army to have command and control over special forces and air and naval assets to launch attacks on Greek islands in the Aegean Sea and on mainland Greece.

None of that has come close to happening but Erdogan – before ratcheting down the tensions in favor of diplomacy in a push to renew Turkey’s 19-year bid to join the European Union – had earlier said Turkish forces could invade at any time.

“His appointment to the Aegean Army this year suggests that the Erdogan government may be planning a new strategy for Turkey’s western borders. It is likely that this involves clandestine operations, potentially targeting Greece, aimed at escalating tensions and consolidating domestic support for the Erdogan administration,” it added.

The Aegean Army was also tasked with monitoring the deployment of American troops in Greece, where the US military has gained access to additional Greek bases and plans to expand its presence, it said.