Genelkurmay

Genelkurmay, short for Genelkurmay Başkanlığı, refers to the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces. It is the central planning and command authority responsible for strategic military planning, joint operations, doctrine development, intelligence assessment, and coordination among the service branches. The General Staff oversees the Land Forces, Naval Forces, and Air Forces and provides military advice to civilian authorities and government ministries on defense matters.

The Chief of the General Staff (Genelkurmay Başkanı) heads the General Staff and directs its directorates and subordinate commands. The staff operates from Ankara and maintains liaison with the Ministry of National Defence as part of the broader defense establishment. In practice, the General Staff serves as the senior professional body for military planning, training, and operational coordination, with responsibilities spanning national security strategy, crisis planning, and interoperability with international partners.

Historically, the General Staff traces its modern origins to the early years of the Turkish Republic and the reforms that reorganized the armed forces after the War of Independence. It has been a central institution in Turkey’s military history and has played a prominent role during periods of political-military intervention, such as the coups of the 20th century, which shaped civilian-military relations. In the 2010s and following the 2016 coup attempt, Turkey implemented reforms that altered the balance of civilian oversight and constitutional command structures, affecting how the General Staff and the broader defense apparatus fit within the state’s civilian government.

Today, Genelkurmay remains the principal staff for joint military planning and operations, while the exact chain of command has evolved under Turkey’s reform-era changes. The term is commonly used to refer to both the institution and the Chief of General Staff.