Turkey sent files on 452 FETO members to 83 countries - Cavusoglu

Turkey has sent dozens of countries extradition files on over 450 suspected members of the terrorist group behind the 2016 defeated coup, said Turkey’s foreign minister on Wednesday.

"We continue to pursue a resolute fight with FETO both at home and abroad,” Mevlut Cavusoglu told parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission, referring to the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation or FETO.

“We are pursuing FETO terrorists wherever they are in the world. We will bring the FETO members to Turkish justice to hold them accountable."

He added, "We prepared files on 452 FETO-linked figures as part of investigations of senior members of the terror group's overseas presence. We sent files to 83 countries where these figures are living."

Cavusoglu said that with the cooperation of 21 countries, a total of 104 FETO members have been extradited to Turkey to date.

Turkish troops, backed by the FSA, liberated large swathes of northwestern Syria from terrorist groups during Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016-2017, while Operation Olive Branch liberated Afrin, Syria from PKK/YPG and Daesh terrorists in early 2018.

FETO-linked schools

Turkey has also succeeded in closing FETO-linked schools abroad, he said.

"FETO schools and languages schools have been closed in 21 countries," said Cavusoglu, adding that Turkey's Maarif Foundation has assumed administration of the schools in 16 countries.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people dead and nearly 2,200 injured.

FETO is also behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the security forces, judiciary and schools.

FETO has a considerable presence outside Turkey, including private educational institutions that serve as a revenue stream for the terrorist group.