Türkiye cracks down on FETÖ: Over 160 arrested in nationwide counterterror raids Video

A major security operation targeting the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETÖ) has led to the detention of 169 suspects across 42 provinces in Türkiye, the country’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced on X.

The coordinated raids were part of a broader crackdown on FETÖ’s clandestine structures, including its covert military, financial and student networks, Caliber.Az reports.

42 ilde FETÖ'ye yönelik düzenlediğimiz operasyonlarda; 169 şüpheli yakalandı❗️

Operasyonlarda yakalanan şüpheliler;
◾FETÖ terör örgütünün “güncel yapılanması, finans yapılanması, öğrenci yapılanması, emniyet mahrem yapılanması, askeri mahrem yapılanması” ve çeşitli meslek… pic.twitter.com/tWJoolR8vT

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) April 30, 2025

The suspects are accused of maintaining links with senior FETÖ operatives through public payphones, using the organisation’s encrypted messaging app ByLock, financing terrorist activities, and disseminating pro-FETÖ propaganda via social media platforms.

Several individuals detained during the operation were subject to arrest warrants or had previously received custodial sentences concerning FETÖ investigations.

Authorities also seized unlicensed firearms, rifles, large sums of foreign currency and Turkish lira, along with a substantial quantity of documents and digital materials.

Note that, FETÖ, led by Fethullah Gülen, emerged in the late 1960s and gradually evolved into a clandestine network accused of espionage, infiltration, and terrorism. Operating under the guise of educational and charitable institutions, FETÖ systematically infiltrated state institutions in Türkiye, including the judiciary, military, and police.

Its most overt action was the attempted coup on July 15, 2016, during which 251 people were killed and thousands injured. In response, the Turkish government launched extensive purges across public institutions, dismantled the group’s financial structures, and pursued its members abroad. International organisations such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Asian Parliamentary Assembly have officially designated FETÖ as a terrorist group.

Türkiye continues to treat FETÖ as a hybrid threat, employing both legal and diplomatic channels to combat its global presence and prevent any resurgence of its influence. 

By Aghakazim Guliyev