Editing Turkish Naval Forces (section)

===Ottoman fleet after Mudros===
Following the demise of the [[Ottoman Empire]] in the aftermath of [[World War I]], on 3 November 1918, the [[List of Fleet Commanders of the Ottoman Navy|fleet commander]] of the [[Ottoman Navy]], [[rear admiral]] Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be struck on all warships lying in the [[Golden Horn]], and the Ottoman Navy ceased to exist.<ref name="Steam Navy57">Bernd Langensiepen, Ahmet Güleryüz, ''The Ottoman Steam Navy, 1828–1923'', Naval Institute Press, [[Annapolis, Maryland]], 1995, {{ISBN|1-55750-659-0}}, p. 57.</ref> The major surface combatants of the former Ottoman fleet (totalling 62,000 tons) were rendered inactive by the [[Allies of World War I|Allies]] and in accordance with the terms of the [[Armistice of Mudros]], the warships were disarmed during the last week of 1918. The battleship {{ship|Ottoman battleship|Turgut Reis||2}} and the cruisers {{ship|Ottoman cruiser|Hamidiye||2}} and {{ship|Ottoman cruiser|Mecidiye||2}} were substantially limited and kept inactive inside the Golden Horn by the occupying forces.<ref name=historyTN>{{cite web|url=http://www.dzkk.tsk.tr/english/TARIHIMIRAS.php|title=Hata Sayfası|access-date=14 December 2014}}</ref> Due to its larger size, the battlecruiser {{ship|Ottoman battlecruiser|Yavuz Sultan Selim||2}} was transferred to the [[Gulf of İzmit]] on the grounds that she could adversely affect the sea traffic inside the Golden Horn;<ref name=historyTN/> while her ammunition and guns were removed.<ref name=historyTN/> During this period, only a small number of Ottoman Navy vessels were allowed by the [[Allies of World War I|Allies]] to remain on active [[coast guard]] duties and were released from internment on 26 February 1919;<ref name="Steam Navy57"/> such as the torpedo boats ''Akhisar'' and ''Dıraç'' which patrolled the [[Sea of Marmara]], the gunboat ''[[Ottoman gunboat Hizir Reis|Hızır Reis]]'' which patrolled the [[Gulf of İzmir]], and the minelayers {{ship|Ottoman minelayer|Nusret||2}} and ''Tir-i Müjgan'' which conducted mine cleaning operations in the [[Gulf of Saros]].<ref name=historyTN/>

Before the [[Turkish War of Independence]] began, the ''Bahriye Nazırlığı'' (Naval Ministry) sent the gunboat ''Preveze'' to [[Sinop, Turkey|Sinop]] and the gunboat ''Aydın Reis'' to [[Trabzon]] in February 1919 for surveillance, reconnaissance and patrol duties.<ref name=historyTN/> However, a lack of coal to fuel their propulsion systems caused the ''Preveze'' and ''Aydın Reis'' to remain in harbour until the end of 1919.<ref name=historyTN/> During the early stages of the Turkish War of Independence, these two gunboats did not return to Istanbul, despite heavy pressure from the Ottoman government and the Allies.<ref name=historyTN/> Instead, they were placed under the command of the [[Turkish National Movement|Turkish liberation forces]] led by [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] and headquartered in [[Ankara]].<ref name=historyTN/>