Turkey: Arrest warrants issued for 27 FETO suspects

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