In a new wave of detentions in the ByLock probe, 24 more people who are believed to be members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) have been taken into custody in western İzmir province.

Security forces conducted raids against 30 suspects in the province, detaining 24 of them. With suspicion that they use the terrorist group's encrypted messaging app ByLock, the suspects were detained by the police.

Apart from the ByLock probe in İzmir, five people on Thursday were remanded into custody in Istanbul on terror charges related to the alleged use of the messaging app linked to Turkey's July 15 coup plot.

A judicial source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a police operation had targeted businessmen affiliated with FETÖ. The suspects were accused of "being members of a terrorist group."

Moreover, a Turkish court remanded in custody two army pilots on Thursday as part of an anti-terror investigation into FETÖ, security sources said.

The Ankara chief public prosecutor had issued arrest warrants for two pilots earlier that day as part of a FETÖ investigation.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Interior Ministry has dismissed 44 local officials from their posts in the wake of the July 15 coup attempt, the ministry stated, adding that the dismissed personnel were linked to FETÖ.