Semih Sancar (1911 – 8 December 1984[1]) was Chief of the Turkish General Staff from 1973 to 1978, a period including the 1974 Turkish defence operation of Cyprus. He was previously Commander of the Turkish Land Forces (1972–1973) and General Commander of the Turkish Gendarmerie (1969–1970).

Semih Sancar
Chief of the Turkish General Staff
In office
6 March 1973 – 7 March 1978
Preceded byFaruk Gürler
Succeeded byKenan Evren
Commander of the Turkish Army
In office
28 August 1972 – 7 March 1973
Preceded byFaruk Gürler
Succeeded byEşref Akıncı
Personal details
Born1911
Erzurum, Ottoman Empire
Died8 December 1984 (aged 72–73)
Military service
Allegiance Turkey
Branch/service Turkish Land Forces
Years of service1930–1978
RankGeneral
Battles/warsCyprus War

He was made a brigadier general in 1960, Major-General in 1963, lieutenant general in 1964 and was promoted to the rank of General in 1969. Commanded 4th Division as a brigadier general, also serving as Joint Chiefs of Staff Department and General Staff Operations Department, War Academies Commander attorney; with the rank of major general, 5th Corps Commander attorney and Land Forces Operations Staff Yarbaşkanlıg As a lieutenant general, in the Army Education Corps Command and Commander 9th Corps. Gen. rank in the August 29, 1969 - Gendarmerie General Command to August 29, 1970; from 1970 until August 28, 1972 commanded 2 Army Command. On August 28, 1972 he was appointed Commander of the Turkish Land Forces.

On 6 March 1973, General Sancar was appointed as the 16th Chief of the General Staff and commanded the Turkish Armed Forces during Cyprus War.

At the request of Special Warfare Department head General Kemal Yamak, Sancar, then the Chief of General Staff, asked Bülent Ecevit for a slush fund of 1 million dollars to support the Counter-Guerrilla programme.[2] It was at that point Ecevit learned of its existence, and demanded a briefing.[3]

References

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  1. ^ kimkimdir.gen.tr, Orgeneral Semih Sancar (1911 - 1984)
  2. ^ Dündar, Can (5 January 2006). "Kontrgerilla kontratakta..." Milliyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  3. ^ Dündar, Can (8 January 2006). "'Özel Harp'çinin tırmanış öyküsü". Milliyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 21 September 2008. Özel harpçi olarak eğitilenler daha genç yaşlarda bölgesinde güvenilir, saygın, sözü geçen, (...) önder niteliklere sahip oldukları için seçilmişlerdi. Milletvekili oluşları da bu seçimin doğruluğunu göstermiyor mu?... Birçok olay olmuş, bu teşkilatın tek bir üyesi bu olaylara karışmış mı?