Turkey arrests 53 for suspected FETÖ links

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

At least 53 people were detained on Nov. 22 for their suspected links to the FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt, officials said.

The detentions came after prosecutors in the capital Ankara issued warrants for 92 former Air Force staff dismissed after the defeated coup. They are being probed for communicating via payphones with FETÖ members, according to a statement by the top prosecutor's office.

An operation was carried out across 22 provinces.

In a separate development, prosecutors in the northwestern Bursa province issued warrants for 46 suspects, including 26 on-duty soldiers, for allegedly communicating with covert imams of the group.

An operation is underway to arrest the suspects.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.