The unit's mission is to address and suppress any terrorist, criminal, or other illegal activity against the State or the public throughout the territory of the Republic, including within its Exclusive Economic Zone (E.E.Z.).

[3][4] The primary mission of the Emergency Response Unit is the operational support of policing throughout the Republic in combating organized, violent acts or crimes such as terrorism.

One such case came in 1984 where the Special Antiterrorist Squad of the Immediate Action Unit, apprehended and arrested escaped convict in his home in Limassol who was armed with a Kalashnikov a pistol and grenades.

[11] Another case was in 1988 in the Athienou village of Larnaka, where a soldier from the Turkish Armed Forces crossed the Green line, entered a house and attempted to take a family hostage, however was unsuccessful.

Unarmed Cypriot National Guard soldiers (Charalampos Charalambous and Gianni Kalesi), who heard the family screams attempted to go and find out what the issue was.

[16] In 2016 during the hijacking of EgyptAir Flight 181, MMAD alongside its Special Anti-terrorist Squad were on scene at Larnaca International Airport for both hostage rescue and as an assault force if the need had arisen.