UPDATE - Turkey: 59 soldiers arrested over suspected FETO links

UPDATES WITH MORE ARRESTS; CHANGES DECK

By Mustafa Yildiz

KAYSERI, Turkey (AA) - At least 59 soldiers were arrested across Turkey on Tuesday over suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the July 2016 defeated coup, according to a security source.

In central Kayseri province, public prosecutors issued warrants for 41 soldiers, including 31 serving soldiers, as part of a probe into FETO's infiltration of the military, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Twenty-four of them were arrested during simultaneous raids conducted across 16 provinces, the source said, adding that operations were underway to detain the remaining suspects.

Separately, 35 soldiers, including 33 serving officers, were arrested in operations in 20 provinces, according to an official statement.

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.