[1] The primary mission of the Special Forces is unorthodox warfare and this is the purpose for which they began their training in 1964, primarily in the Troodos Mountains, while shortly after, they began operations against Turkish Cypriot rebels (TMT members) and the Turkish forces operating on the island.

[5][6] It took on its first mission in August 1964 during the Battle of Tillyria against the Turkish Armed Forces and TMT, eventually helping the then newly formed National Guard achieve its first victory but also losing its first 3 soldiers.

[12] During the 1974 Cypriot coup d'état, the Special Forces played a pivotal role, taking over all of their objectives including, the Presidential Palace, the broadcasting corporation, the Cyprus Police headquarters and its reserve corps and the Archdiocese.

[15][16][17][18] In 1978, after a hijacking at Larnaca International Airport, Egyptian special forces attempted a rescue operation in an attempt to mimic Operation Entebbe, however due to them not gaining permission from the Cypriot government, a gunfight ensued with the Cypriot special forces and other elements of the national guard, leading to the Egyptians suffering heavy casualties (36 killed or injured), a Lockheed C-130 Hercules and jeep also being destroyed.

A scroll runs across the sword and wings with the motto "Who Dares Wins" (Greek: Ο Τολμών Νικά – O Tolmon Nika), a tribute to the Free Greek Special Forces that served with the 1st Special Air Service (1 SAS) Brigade during World War II.