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Turkish authorities captured 71 suspects in coordinated nationwide raids targeting the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on his social media account early Monday.
The operations, carried out under the coordination of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Istanbul Police Department, took place simultaneously in 27 provinces, including Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Bursa, Kayseri, Manisa and Gaziantep. Teams from the Anti-Smuggling Crimes Division and the Intelligence Branch led the effort.
According to officials, the suspects include active public employees and private-sector workers who were allegedly involved in FETÖ’s network. Investigators say the detainees are accused of previously working for companies linked to the group, using its covert communication systems and operating within the group’s secretive (“mahrem”) structuring inside the police.
Authorities said the suspects were identified following months of technical surveillance, digital analysis and witness statements. The raids were conducted as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle what the government describes as the group’s remaining operational cells.
Praising the teams that contributed to the operations, Ali Yerlikaya noted, “We will continue our fight with determination against those who threaten our nation’s unity and solidarity, the integrity of our state and the peace and well-being of our citizens.”
Yerlikaya’s post also included footage from the operations.
On the other hand, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office also stated the operation.
According to the statement, authorities targeted 80 individuals identified as secretive (“mahrem”) police imams within FETÖ’s covert police structure. Prosecutors said the suspects include 40 public-sector employees, including teachers, research assistants and medical professionals, and 40 private-sector workers.
Officials remarked that several of the suspects were previously identified through informant testimony, sequential phone records used as a covert communication method, and digital evidence, such as using ByLock and transactions at Bank Asya, a bank linked to the group.
The statement also said eight suspects were determined to be abroad, while 71 were detained and taken into custody. Judicial proceedings have begun, and efforts to locate one remaining fugitive continue.
The terrorist group orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Türkiye, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded. Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
The group faces operations almost daily as investigators still try to unravel their massive network of infiltrators everywhere. In 2024 alone, police apprehended hundreds of FETÖ suspects across the country, including fugitives on western borders trying to flee to Europe.
Officials said Türkiye will continue operations with determination against individuals believed to be linked to the group, stressing that efforts aim to protect public order, national unity and state institutions.
