Turkish police detain 11 FETÖ terror suspects

ANKARA/SAMSUN - Anadolu Agency

Turkish police on Jan. 6 detained at least 11 people for their suspected links to FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, security sources said.

The detentions came after the country's prosecutors issued detention 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 detained 11 suspects.

The police continue the hunt for the remaining suspects.

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.

Turkey 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.