Arrests in the Turkish Army

Following the attempted military coup in Turkey in 2016, arrests of individuals affiliated with the Gülen movement have continued across all government agencies, particularly within security forces, reports Ermenihaber.

A statement issued by the Izmir Republic Prosecutor's Office indicated that a decision has been made to arrest 176 officers in connection with the FETÖ (the Gülen movement is referred to as the "Fetullah Terrorist Organization" in Turkey, abbreviated as FETÖ). Out of those, 143 hold the rank of senior lieutenant, while 33 are lieutenants. The arrested individuals include four commanders from gendarmerie units and six pilots of the F-16 fighter jets in the Air Force.

As a result of simultaneous operations conducted in Turkey's 49 provinces following the arrest decisions, 125 suspects have already been apprehended. The basis for these arrests has been the utilization of special programs for secret phone communications, commonly used among members of the Gülen community led by billionaire preacher Fethullah Gülen, who has been declared the primary organizer of the coup attempt by the Turkish authorities.