ANKARA

A total of 52 suspects linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the terror group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, were arrested in simultaneous raids across 12 provinces on Friday, according to prosecutors.

The 52 are among 80 suspects sought under search warrants issued by prosecutors in the capital Ankara, said prosecutors.

They include 12 active-duty majors and 20 lieutenants serving in the Gendarmerie General Command, 18 of whom have been arrested so far.

They also include 34 former teachers at closed FETO schools, out of 48 such teachers sought.

Operations are continuing to nab the remaining suspects, the statement added.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Reporting by Baris Kilic, Zafer Fatih Beyaz and Sertac Bulur:Writing by Meryem Goktas