Authorities Wednesday issued arrest warrants for 36 suspects over alleged links to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which is accused of orchestrating the July 15, 2016 coup attempt.

Turkish security forces launched simultaneous operations in 13 provinces across the country as part of a probe launched by prosecutors in the central Kayseri province against suspects. Suspects included 22 on-duty military officers. The probe was looking into FETÖ's infiltration into the Turkish Armed Forces. The arrest warrants were issued for the suspects for allegedly having contact with "covert imams" of the terror group by payphone. "Covert imam" is a term used for FETÖ's secret handlers for its infiltrators.

The Interior Ministry announced earlier this month that 30,709 people have been taken into custody for their links to FETÖ since the 2016 coup attempt that killed 251 people. Another 19,329 people have been convicted of FETÖ membership and related crimes.