Over 1,500 military personnel suspended in 11 months

ANKARA

A total of 1,553 personnel with suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) were suspended from the Turkish Armed Forces in the last 11 months.

Some 879 were dismissed from the Army, while 242 were suspended from the Navy and 432 from the Air Force, security sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Additionally, some 151 retired soldiers' ranks were revoked over FETO links.

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

* Writing by Gozde Bayar