The Greek Cypriot paramilitary organization, EOKA started its anti-British activities for Enosis, the union of the island with Greece.

This caused a "Cretan syndrome" within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as was the case with Cretan Turks; as such, they preferred the continuation of the British rule and later, taksim, the division of the island.

Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, the EOKA leader Georgios Grivas declared them an enemy.

[5] During this period, other resistance organizations were founded, such as the Turkish Resistance Legion for the Movement Legion (KİTEM), 9 September Front or Kara Çete ("Black Gang"), which reportedly had the support of Fazıl Küçük, but these turned out to be unsuccessful attempts and joined Volkan.

On 2 January 1958, Denktaş and Küçük flew to Ankara to meet with Fatin Rüştü Zorlu.

Communication with its members in Cyprus was by radio and the honorary leader of the TMT was Fatin Rüştü Zorlu.

Between 1964 and 1967, the TMT maintained a force of about 5,000 fighters, although this was somewhat weakened in 1966 and 1967, when around 950 men, who had interrupted their studies or never had a chance to commence them, went to Turkey to enroll in universities.