A total of 22,085 people, including 16,409 cadets, have been dismissed from the military over suspected links to the Gülenist terror group (FETÖ), Defense Minister Fikri Işık said on Saturday.

The counterterror operation has been stepped up after July 15, when FETÖ attempted to stage a coup to topple the democratically-elected president and government of Turkey, leaving 246 people dead and thousands injured. The attempt was thwarted by military troops loyal to the government, along with police units and millions of Turkish citizens in favor of democracy. In total, 241 people, mostly civilians, were killed by pro-coup soldiers, while over 2,000 people were injured.

The attempt was masterminded by FETÖ leader Fetullah Gülen, who has been living in self-imposed exile on a 400-acre property that includes a mansion and several guest houses, in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania since 1999.