UPDATE - Turkey arrests 55 FETO suspects across country

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By Necat Hazar, Ismet Karakas, Tanju Ozkaya and Huseyin Bagis

VAN/ANKARA/ISTANBUL (AA) - At least 55 suspects were arrested over alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 failed coup, Turkish authorities said on Monday.

In a statement, the provincial security directorate in Turkey’s eastern Van province said 12 suspects were arrested during simultaneous operations in Van and Hakkari provinces.

While 10 suspects were remanded in custody, two were released on the condition of judicial control, the communique added.

In a separate Ankara-based operation, nine FETO suspects were arrested.

The arrests came after the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Ankara issued warrants for 15 people after they were found to be using ByLock, the terror group’s encrypted smartphone messaging app.

Police are still looking for the remaining fugitive suspects.

Meanwhile, 34 other FETO suspects were arrested in Istanbul-based police operations launched across 18 provinces on June 13.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were 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.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan