47,155 remanded in FETO probe since July 2016 coup bid

TRABZON, Turkey

Turkey has remanded 47,155 suspects accused of having links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) since July 2016 coup attempt, the nation's interior minister said Sunday.

Speaking on a local television channel in northern Trabzon province, Suleyman Soylu said the nationwide FETO probe has seen 113,260 arrests since the defeated coup.

According to the Turkish government, the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 2016, which left 249 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

"Among the remanded are 10,732 police officers, 7,643 soldiers, and 168 generals. 2,575 are judges and prosecutors. 26,177 are civilians, [and] 208 are local administrators," Soylu said.

The minister said 863 other suspects remain at large.

Soylu revealed that 23,861 of those remanded have been freed, while 41,499 others released under judicial supervision.

Ankara has said FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

In wake of the putsch attempt, tens of thousands of FETO suspects have been arrested, including many in the armed forces, police, judicial system, education and business sectors.

Soylu also pointed out that a total of 921 PKK terrorists were killed in the last six months, including 65 from its leadership. "This is a significant number,” Soylu said.

He added that a total 14,516 PKK/KCK members, 2,529 Daesh members, and 38,789 FETO members were arrested in the last six months.

More than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.