UPDATE - Turkey: 11 FETO terror suspects arrested

UPDATES WITH MORE ARRESTS

By Baris Kilic, Recep Bilek and Ekrem Payan

ANKARA/SAMSUN/SIRNAK, Turkey (AA) - Turkish police on Monday arrested at least 11 people for their suspected links to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, security sources said.

The arrests came after the country’s prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 27 suspects.

The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in the capital Ankara issued warrants for a serving soldier and four former soldiers -- who either resigned, retired or were expelled.

In northern Samsun province, prosecutors issued warrants for two expelled soldiers and 20 military students.

Police conducted anti-terror operations in the capital Ankara, Istanbul, eastern Erzurum, northern Trabzon and Kastamonu provinces and arrested 11 suspects.

The police continue the hunt for the remaining suspects.

Meanwhile, four terrorists were also arrested in an operation against PKK and FETO terror groups in southeastern Sirnak Province, according to the provincial governorate.

Later, one of the suspects was remanded in custody, while three were released under judicial control.

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 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 Havva Kara Aydin