By Sarp Ozer</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – At least 167 Turkish soldiers were sacked from the army on Friday for their suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt.</p> <p>The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) relieved of duties 90 personnel from land forces command and 77 from naval forces with the approval of the country’s Ministry of Defense.</p> <p>According to data compiled by Anadolu Agency, some 486 military personnel have been sacked since Turkey lifted its two-year-old state of emergency on July 18, 2018.</p> <p>“The Ministry of National Defense and the Turkish Armed Forces continue their fight against FETO with determination,” said Hulusi Akar, defense minister.</p> <p>The Turkish military will strengthen as FETO-linked “traitors” within the forces are wiped out and the army’s “high performance in land, air and sea is an indication of this”, Akar added.
FETO and its U.S.- based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara 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.
