From Terror to Tranquility: Tunceli Transforms into a Tourism Hub with Horseback Gendarmerie
Once known for its association with terrorism, Tunceli has now become a city of calm and peace. The transformation is especially evident in areas like national parks and nature parks, where citizens frequently visit picnic spots that boast natural beauty, clean water resources, and rich wildlife. In stark contrast to the past, when armored vehicles and helicopters dominated the city, horseback gendarmerie units are now patrolling these areas, gaining significant attention from the public, particularly children.
Tunceli, which is on the path to becoming one of Turkey’s major tourism centers, has undergone significant changes. With the eradication of terrorism, security and public order services have undergone a substantial transformation. Following the ‘Martı’ unit, which consists of four bicycle officers under the Directorate General of Law Enforcement’s Public Order Branch last month, horseback gendarmerie units have started their duties. These units, patrolling national parks, nature parks, and heavily frequented picnic areas, have drawn notable interest from residents and visitors.
Governor of Tunceli Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu and Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Major General Nuh Köroğlu visited the horseback gendarmerie units patrolling Munzur Valley, a popular area among locals and tourists.
During the visit, Governor Tekbıyıkoğlu emphasized the city’s progress toward becoming a tourism hub. “But ten or twenty years ago, it wasn’t like this. People were hesitant to come here or enjoy these beautiful places. Thanks to the sacrifices of our gendarmerie, police forces, and citizens, we’ve managed to establish security, public order, and peace. In ten years, Tunceli will become one of Turkey’s significant tourism destinations. It’s a big effort and journey. We must utilize all parallel routes and functions for this journey, one of which is security services. Recently, we initiated the bicycle ‘Martı’ units in our city for the first time. Now, our gendarmerie’s horseback units have also become operational. We’re making previously visible security measures with armored vehicles and helicopters unobtrusive. We have started to spread public order services and activities across our city just like in Antalya, Muğla, the Mediterranean, and the Aegean. Our citizens have shown great appreciation. Henceforth, we’ll frequently see our bicycle ‘Martı’ units and horseback gendarmerie units in Tunceli’s tourism areas. About three months ago, we proposed this idea to our gendarmerie command. We said horseback units would add color to our city, and that’s how the project came to life. I thank our Interior Minister and Gendarmerie General Commander for their interest and support,” he stated.
Governor Tekbıyıkoğlu also mentioned that the horseback gendarmerie units would not be solely used for tourism purposes. “There are often instances of people getting lost or injured while hiking in our province. Our horses will operate in areas where our vehicles cannot enter. However, primarily, we’ll frequently see these beautiful scenes in traffic-free zones and tourism facilities,” he added.
Highlighting the importance of the initiative in tourism regions, Governor Tekbıyıkoğlu said, “This activity is mainly conducted in tourism areas. We are on the path to becoming the most significant tourism center among the provinces in Anatolia that do not have a coastline.”
Altuğ Kahraman, a resident of Tunceli for the past three and a half years, shared his experience. “When we first moved here, we were hesitant to have picnics. Seeing armored units made us think it was unsafe. Now, we don’t see the armored vehicles anymore. Seeing the horseback units makes us feel safe, and we confidently come here as a family every weekend,” he said.