Greece sent six attack helicopters Apache in the south-east area of the Aegean Sea to patrol and prohibit alleged coup-plotters form entering Greece. The Apache have been deployed across the island group of the Dodecanese opposite the Turkish coast. Further more another Super Puma helicopter has been deployed to area of the island of Rhodes, while a unit of Greek Army Special Commando Force is in full readiness.
At the same time, ships of the Greek Navy are “screening every inch” of the Aegean Sea.
Across the Greek-Turkish borders, from Evros in North-East to Kastelorizo in South-East, Greek Armed Forces are reportedly on alert since Wednesday when reports claimed that “coup-plotters were fleeing Turkey and were trying to seek shelter in Greece, while Turkish Armed Forces were hunting for them.”
Originally it was said that a group of 25 Turkish commandos who were assigned to eliminate President Erdogan last Friday have been missing from their units. These paratroopers are claimed to belong to Special Forces Command (OKK from Turkish Özel Kuvvetler Komutanlığı), nicknamed Maroon Berets (Turkish: Bordo Bereliler) because of their distinctive service headgear. Later, Turkish media claimed that it was a total of 250 Turkish military personnel suspected to be coup-plotters who have been on the run.
It seems that there is an open line between Turkish and Greek military in an effort to avoid any move that may create tension between the two countries. So far, no violation of Greek airspace or territorial waters has been recorded.
And so far, except from the 8 military personnel that fled with a Black Hawk helicopter to GReece last Saturday, no other ‘coup-plotter suspect’ has been seen in Greece.
According to news website NewsIt.gr, the Apache deployment has been confirmed by the Greek Defense Ministry.
Whether Hunt Turkish coup-plotters or not, fact is that that Greece is very concerned that Turkey might attempt to export its internal political crisis to Greece.
With good reason, Apache will take back their land but it would be very smart for Turkey and nice also if air-space-violations will stop forever – they can play doggy at Crimea for the Tartars if they need training – they can also excuse and tell the world that responsible were uncontrollable parts of their army staff and that this is the same staff that bombed the parliament and Marmaris, furthermore they can point out that they refrain from questioning sovereignty of any Greek islands and call any questioning of Status Quo nationalistic and anti-democratic coup’etatist; the 250 are already in Egypt or we’ll see’em later robbing banks with speed-boats.
Good. Some Turk from whatever side could get “enthusiastic” and might violate Greek’s territory.