Oğuz Kalelioğlu

Oğuz Kalelioğlu, who was born in Artvin in 1945, grew up in a family that was prone to military service. His father was Tekel Manager Sadi Kalelioğlu and his mother was Dürdane Kalelioğlu. After completing his primary and secondary education in Izmit, he graduated from the Military Academy in 1966 and started working as an Artillery Officer.

Kalelioğlu, who served in various units throughout his military career, was appointed to Cyprus in 1973 and became the Famagusta Mujahid Battalion Commander. During this period, he also took an active role in the Cyprus Peace Operation that took place in 1974. With his force of 800 people, he defended Famagusta Castle for a month with weapons from the Ottoman period and limited ammunition, despite the overwhelming superiority of the Greek-Greek troops.

When General Corcakis, the commander of the Greek side, offered to spare his life if he surrendered, Kalelioğlu's response was clear: "The state that sent me, when the enemy saw too many enemies, ordered not to surrender but to do what was necessary."

After retiring from the Turkish Armed Forces in 1997, he started working in academic and consultancy fields. He worked as a consultant at the Presidency of Religious Affairs and gave various conferences. He earned the title of doctor of history with his doctoral study completed at Ankara University in 2006. He taught Atatürk's Principles and History of Revolution at Gazi University and Ufuk University and served as an academic administrator.

Known for his heroism in the Cyprus Peace Operation, Kalelioğlu also developed strategies against Greece as an external threat and the PKK as an internal threat in the Psychological Warfare Department he founded in 1997. Kalelioğlu, who is married and the father of two children, is also fluent in English. The experienced soldier, who has both Turkish and TRNC citizenship, still draws attention with his memories and academic studies.