EDIRNE, Turkey

Since the defeated July 15 coup, Turkey has captured 557 suspects linked to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in the country's northwest as they were planning to cross to Greece.

According to data analyzed by Anadolu Agency, Turkish soldiers stationed along the Turkish side of the Greek and Bulgarian borders prevented the suspects from escaping to Europe.

The suspects placed under travel bans are ex-soldiers, academicians, teachers, police officers, and judges.

Many FETO members who were trying to escape by infiltrating among irregular migrants and cooperating with terrorist organizations such as PKK and MLKP were caught before they could escape to Europe.

According to the provincial gendarmerie command, security forces nabbed 18 suspects in 2016, 149 in 2017 and 266 in 2018.

A total of 124 suspects were nabbed since the beginning of this year.

Out of 557 suspects, 423 were arrested.

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.

*Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic