UPDATE - Turkey: Arrest warrants out for 23 FETO terror suspects

UPDATES WITH ARRESTS

By Bekir Omer Fansa

ADANA, Turkey (AA) - Arrest warrants were issued for 23 suspects across Turkey, including 16 active-duty soldiers, over their suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, security sources said Friday.

Prosecutors in the southeastern Adana province issued the warrants for the suspects, including a captain and a lieutenant, who were found to have communicated with "covert imams" -- senior FETO members -- said one of the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

A total of 14 suspects were arrested so far in Adana-based operations carried out across 13 provinces simultaneously.

Operations are underway to nab the remaining suspects.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey 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.