Turkey orders detention of 304 suspects in massive operation against Gülenists in army

Turkey on Dec. 8 issued detention warrants for 304 suspects in a massive operation against Gülenists in the Turkish army. Some 295 of those sought are on-duty soldiers.

Tuesday December 08 2020 11:06 am

File photo.

Duvar English

Turkey has ordered the detention of 304 suspects in an operation targeting the followers of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen within the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).

Police detained 198 suspects in 50 provinces on Dec. 8 as part of the operation launched by İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

A total of 295 of those sought are on-duty soldiers.

Operations targeting the Gülenists, which is the group widely believed to have orchestrated the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt, have been continuing ever since the takeover bid.

The suspects, including five colonels and 10 captains, most of them on active duty, were believed to be in contact with people with links to the Gülenists.

Since the coup attempt, about 80,000 people have been held pending trial and some 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others have been sacked or suspended. More than 20,000 people had been expelled from the Turkish military alone.

The Gülen movement, which is officially called the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), is an ally-turned-foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).