22K Turkish military members dismissed for FETO links

By Alp Ozden

ANKARA

A total of 22,085 Turkish military personnel have been dismissed for links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Saturday.

Of that number, 16,409 were military school students, Isik said during 2017 budget talks at the parliament.

"So far, 5,676 military personnel have been dismissed, 39 of them were re-instated to their positions," he said. "When you count the 16,409 students, the number goes up to 22,085."

Turkey managed to beat back a deadly coup attempt July 15 when rogue elements of the military tried to overthrow the country's democratically elected government.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest the putsch attempt that killed 248 victims and wounded 2,193 others.

Turkey has accused FETO, and its U.S.-based leader, Fetullah Gulen, of orchestrating the overthrow attempt.