More than 45 FETO-linked soldiers arrested in Turkey

By Muhammed Enes Can

ISTANBUL (AA) - A total of 46 soldiers were arrested in Istanbul on Thursday over suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the July 2016 defeated coup.

Police arrested 211 suspects, including serving soldiers, colonels and lieutenant colonel after public prosecutors in Istanbul issued warrants for 300 soldiers as part of a probe into FETO's infiltration in the military.

Istanbul High Criminal Court then sent 46 suspects to jail for being members of an armed terror group.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 250 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.