ISTANBUL

At least 94 former Turkish military personnel arrested for links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, were remanded in custody on Saturday, according to a judicial source.

The suspects were among 131 ex-military officials arrested on Sept. 16 in anti-terror operations in 34 provinces, with a primary focus on Istanbul, said the source, requesting anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The arrested individuals included former army commanders, lieutenants, non-commissioned officers, and sergeants.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey 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.