UPDATE - Turkey: 160 suspects with FETO links arrested

UPDATES WITH NUMBER OF ARRESTS, CHANGES HEAD, DECK, LEDE

By Meric Urer

IZMIR, Turkey (AA) - Turkish authorities arrested at least 160 suspects over their alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, according to security sources on Tuesday.

Earlier, prosecutors in the western Izmir province issued warrants for 238 suspects as part of a probe into the terror group's infiltration into the Turkish Armed Forces, said a source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The suspects, including 218 active-duty personnel, are accused of regularly being communicated by FETO members via pay phone.

The suspects were arrested in a series of simultaneous operations across 60 provinces and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

FETO and its US-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 Erdogan Cagatay Zontur and Gozde Bayar in Ankara