ANKARA 

Turkish prosecutors on Thursday issued arrest warrants for 27 soldiers suspected of being members to FETO, the terror group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.

According to a statement of the Chief Public Prosecutor’s office in Ankara arrest warrants were issued for soldiers at the Turkish Naval Forces Command -- five of them serving -- over links to FETO’s so-called "imams".

The soldiers -- including captains, lieutenants and sergeants -- are accused of communicating with FETO members with pre-paid phone cards and pay phones.

Police operations were underway to nab suspects across eight provinces in Turkey, the statement added.

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

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

Reporting by Baris Kilic and Aylin Sirikli:Writing by Meryem Goktas