UPDATE 2 - Turkey: At least 20 FETO-linked suspects arrested

UPDATED WITH MORE ARRESTS

By Volkan Kasik

MALATYA, Turkey (AA) - At least 20 people were arrested over their alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the July 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, security sources said Wednesday.

Police sources told Anadolu Agency that they had arrested 11 suspects in simultaneous operations against FETO safe houses in the eastern province of Malatya.

Among those arrested were several individuals suspected of having infiltrated police departments in Malatya and in the eastern province of Tunceli.

Police found five fake IDs, $5,200 and 4,960 Turkish liras ($1,186) as well as digital material.

Meanwhile, six people, including four FETO-linked suspects, were arrested in the northwestern Edirne province as they were attempting to cross into Greece, said gendarmerie sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The sources said the gendarmerie forces stopped two vehicles near the Greek border and arrested the drivers and four passengers -- whom they believed used to work for now-closed FETO-linked organizations.

In a separate operation in the central province of Eskisehir, five other FETO suspects -- including on-duty officers -- have been arrested by police for terror links.

Also, an on-duty military officer of major rank who is identified by the initials A.K., was arrested over links to FETO in Eskisehir.

In the western Burdur province, gendarmes arrested a FETO suspect, after he failed to prove his identity.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated July 2016 coup in Turkey, 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.