Turkey issues arrest warrants for 27 FETÖ suspects

Turkish prosecutors on Thursday issued arrest warrants for 27 soldiers suspected of being members to FETÖ, the terror group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.

According to a statement of the Chief Public Prosecutor’s office in Ankara arrest warrants were issued for soldiers at the Turkish Naval Forces Command -- five of them serving -- over links to FETÖ’s so-called "imams".

The soldiers -- including captains, lieutenants and sergeants -- are accused of communicating with FETÖ members with pre-paid phone cards and pay phones.

Police operations were underway to nab suspects across eight provinces in Turkey, the statement added.

FETÖ 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.

Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.