Turkey arrests over 90 soldiers in anti-FETO operation

By Murat Paksoy, Murat Kaya and Muhammed Enes Can

ISTANBUL

Over 90 Turkish military personnel were arrested across Turkey Thursday as part of an anti-Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) probe, according to security sources.

On Wednesday, Istanbul prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 243 Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) personnel over alleged links to last year’s coup attempt.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said a total of 95 suspects from the Turkish military were arrested so far in 54 of Turkey’s provinces.

The suspects were being sought on specific accusations they were using ByLock, a secret smartphone messaging app the Turkish government says was used by FETO members.

FETO, led by U.S.-based Gulen, has been accused of orchestrating the failed coup attempt of July 2016.

The defeated coup left 248 people martyred, and around 2,200 others wounded.

Turkey's government accuses the FETO terror network of staging the coup attempt as well as being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Since the failed coup, operations have been ongoing in the military, and judiciary, as well as in state institutions across the country, to arrest suspects with alleged links to FETO.