Turkish authorities detained 35 suspects in sweeping raids across 16 provinces on Tuesday as part of a crackdown targeting the "mahrem" (secretive) military network of the Gülenist Terrorist Group (FETÖ).
In the operation, launched under the coordination of the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, 42 individuals suspected of ties to the group were arrested. The suspects had been identified through witness statements and testimonies and were allegedly contacted via payphones.
Counterterrorism police and gendarmerie teams carried out simultaneous raids in Izmir and 15 different provinces against the suspects expelled from military schools under statutory law (KHK) issued in the aftermath of the 2016 failed coup attempt.
As a result of the raids, 35 suspects were taken into custody, while the other seven fugitives remain at large abroad.
Ankara designates FETÖ as a terrorist group, accused of infiltrating the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), judiciary, police and other state institutions to seize control of the government.
Since the failed putsch in July 2016, thousands of people have been arrested, dismissed from public service, or prosecuted over alleged links to the network.
After the failed coup attempt, efforts to eliminate FETÖ's financial structure gained momentum. Through statutory decrees, the group quickly lost its domestic economic assets.
Turkish authorities emphasize that further investigations will proceed to maintain the security and peace in the country.
