Türkiye’s 2nd Amphibious Marine Brigade Receives Battle Flag in Iskenderun

Türkiye’s 2nd Amphibious Marine Brigade Command received its battle flag at a ceremony in Iskenderun, Hatay province, on 27 October 2026, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence said on its official X account. Defence Minister Yaşar Güler attended the ceremony and addressed the marines.

Senior military leadership attends ceremony

According to the ministry, Güler travelled to Iskenderun together with Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu and Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu. Fleet Commander Admiral Kadir Yıldız and Hatay Governor Mustafa Masatlı were also present. Güler spoke to the assembled personnel during the ceremony, though the ministry’s posts did not publish the content of his remarks. Local media reported that he stressed the significance of the flag and wished the unit success in its duties.

In the Turkish Armed Forces, the presentation of a battle flag is a formal step that marks a unit’s standing within the force structure. The ministry did not disclose when the brigade was formed, its manpower or its equipment.

Expanding Türkiye’s marine infantry

The designation “2nd” points to an expansion of Türkiye’s amphibious marine infantry. The Turkish Naval Forces’ long-standing Amphibious Marine Brigade is based in Foça, near İzmir, on the Aegean coast. Its roots go back to the first amphibious battalion formed in 1966, and the unit took part in the 1974 landings in Cyprus.

Basing a second brigade in Iskenderun would give the navy an amphibious formation on the eastern Mediterranean, close to Cyprus and the Syrian coast. It would also sit within reach of the sea lanes the navy patrols in the region. The navy has been building up its amphibious capacity in recent years, with the landing helicopter dock TCG Anadolu as the centrepiece of its amphibious fleet.

What comes next

Officials have not yet released further details on the brigade’s structure or timeline. Details on its subordinate battalions, equipment and how it will train alongside the Foça-based brigade and the navy’s amphibious ships are expected to emerge as the unit becomes operational. After the ceremony, Güler visited the Iskenderun district governorate and municipality, where he was briefed on local work.

Featured image: Cpl. Jalen Phillips (U.S. Marine Corps) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons