Türkiye conducts nationwide raids against FETÖ, dozens detained VIDEO

Turkish authorities apprehended 71 individuals in a coordinated series of nationwide raids targeting the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on his social media account.

The operations, orchestrated under the coordination of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Istanbul Police Department, were carried out simultaneously in 27 provinces, including Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Bursa, Kayseri, Manisa, and Gaziantep. Teams from the Anti-Smuggling Crimes Division and the Intelligence Branch spearheaded the effort, Caliber.Az reports.

İstanbul merkezli 27 ilde FETÖ’ye yönelik bu sabah eş zamanlı olarak düzenlenen operasyonlarımızda; aktif kamu görevlisi ve özel sektör çalışanı 71 şüpheliyi yakaladık❗️

İstanbul Emniyet Müdürlüğü ve İstanbul Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı koordinasyonunda, İEM Kaçakçılık Suçlarıyla… pic.twitter.com/4VQBO44QI4

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) November 17, 2025

“The suspects include active public employees and private-sector workers allegedly involved in FETÖ’s network,” officials said. Investigators stated that detainees were accused of working for companies linked to the group, utilizing its covert communication systems, and participating in its secretive (“mahrem”) structuring within the police.

Authorities noted that the suspects were identified following months of technical surveillance, digital analysis, and witness testimony. The raids form part of ongoing efforts to dismantle what the government describes as the group’s remaining operational cells.

Praising the law enforcement teams, Interior Minister Yerlikaya stated: “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.” His post included video footage from the operations.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office added that authorities targeted 80 individuals identified as secretive police imams within FETÖ’s covert police network. The suspects include 40 public-sector employees—teachers, research assistants, and medical professionals—and 40 private-sector workers. Officials said some suspects were previously identified through informant testimony, sequential phone records used as covert communication, and digital evidence, including the ByLock app and transactions at Bank Asya, a FETÖ-linked financial institution.

Eight suspects were determined to be abroad, while the remaining 71 were detained and taken into custody. Judicial proceedings are underway, with efforts continuing to locate the final fugitive.

FETÖ orchestrated the failed coup in Türkiye on July 15, 2016, which left 252 people dead and 2,734 injured. Ankara also accuses the group of attempting to infiltrate state institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Authorities emphasized that operations against FETÖ remain a top priority, with law enforcement committed to protecting public order, national unity, and the integrity of state institutions.

By Vafa Guliyeva