Turkey Detains Dozens of Active-Duty Soldiers in Fresh 2016 Coup Crackdown
By Kardo Roj
ANKARA, Turkey (North Press) – Turkish authorities on Friday ordered the arrest of 63 active-duty military personnel suspected of ties to the group blamed for the 2016 failed coup attempt, as part of a continuing nationwide crackdown nearly a decade after the event.
According to a statement from the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office, the suspects include four colonels from the army, navy, air force, and gendarmerie. Security forces conducted coordinated raids early Friday across 36 provinces, with a focus on Istanbul, resulting in the arrest of 56 individuals.
The operation, reported by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, targeted what Ankara refers to as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO), led by the late cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen, who passed away last year in the United States, has long been accused by Turkish officials of orchestrating the July 15, 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Turkish government maintains that Gulen’s network infiltrated state institutions over many years and continues to pose a threat. Authorities have vowed to pursue the group’s members globally, even after its leader’s death.
Since the failed coup, Ankara has undertaken a sweeping purge of state institutions. Tens of thousands of military personnel and civilians have been arrested, and approximately 150,000 public sector employees have been dismissed or suspended under emergency decrees.
Friday’s arrests are part of a series of periodic operations targeting suspected FETO members within Turkey’s armed forces. The scale and persistence of the crackdown have drawn international attention and concern over human rights and due process.
While Turkish officials argue the measures are necessary for national security, critics have raised concerns that the purges have extended beyond coup suspects to encompass broader opposition voices.
The impact of these crackdowns continues to reverberate, including in neighboring Syria, where Turkey maintains a significant military presence through its backing of armed factions and cross-border operations. These developments often intersect with the regional dynamics affecting stability in northern Syria.
No official charges have yet been filed against the latest detainees, and the investigation is ongoing, Turkish prosecutors said.