Detention warrants issued for 176 FETÖ suspects

Turkish prosecutors issued detention warrants on Jan. 14 for 176 suspects over links to the FETÖ, said security sources.

According to the Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor in the city of İzmir on Turkey's Aegean coast, 108 on-duty soldiers are among the suspects being sought, including a pilot lieutenant and four district gendarmerie commanders as well as 68 former soldiers who either retired, resigned or were expelled.

İzmir-based anti-terror operations have been simultaneously launched in 49 provinces.

The detention warrants were issued after the suspects were found to have communicated with members of the terror group by payphone.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.