Total of 22,000 Turkish military members dismissed over FETÖ links

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

A total of 22,085 Turkish military personnel have been dismissed for their links to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), Defense Minister Fikri Işık said on Dec. 10. Of that number, 16,409 were military school students, Işık said during 2017 budget talks at parliament.  
      
“So far, 5,676 military personnel have been dismissed, while 39 of them have been reinstated to their positions. Including the 16,409 students, the number goes up to 22,085,” Işık added.      
  
Turkey managed to beat back a deadly coup attempt on July 15 when rogue elements of the military tried to overthrow the government.        

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest the putsch attempt. A total of 248 people were killed and 2,193 were wounded.        

Turkey accuses FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fethullah Gülen of orchestrating the coup attempt.