71 FETO-linked suspects arrested in Turkey

At least 71 suspects were arrested across Turkey on Monday for suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year's defeated coup, according to security officials.

In the central Aksaray province, three former teachers were arrested.

In the northwestern Bolu province, a FETO-linked suspect was arrested after a warrant issued by the province's Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Separately, police arrested another FETO-linked suspect in the northwestern Düzce province. An Istanbul court issued the arrest warrant.

Another was arrested in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) after a warrant issued by the Sivas Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The suspect was a soldier in the TRNC.

In Istanbul, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for 106 FETO suspects.

Police forces arrested 65 out of 106 suspects in simultaneous operations in 20 different provinces.

They are all accused of being members of a terrorist organization.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 250 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.