By Cihan Demirci
EDIRNE, Türkiye (AA) - At least 21 suspected members of terrorist groups were nabbed in Türkiye’s northwestern Edirne province while attempting to cross into Greece through illegal means, authorities said on Friday.
In a statement, the Edirne Governorate said that 18 of the suspects were affiliated with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), two with the PKK terror group and one with the far-left DHKP-C terror group.
FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 wounded.
Ankara 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.
The DHKP-C is responsible for a number of terror attacks in Türkiye, including a 2013 attack on the US Embassy in Ankara which killed a Turkish security guard.
The group is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.