ISTANBUL

Turkey on Tuesday arrested 72 people, including on-duty soldiers, over suspected links to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated coup in 2016.

Prosecutors in Istanbul issued arrest warrants for 118 people, including 98 on-duty soldiers, as part of an investigation into FETO.

Turkish police carried out anti-terror operations in 35 provinces.

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.

Turkey 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 Handan Kazanci