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2026-08-03 12:46 UTC → 2026-08-03 15:25 UTC ·
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Turkey crackdown on coup-related suspects captures last 2016 coup suspect
Following earlier raids on THKP/C Dev‑Yol in early July 2026, Turkish security forces continued their crackdown The coordinated operation on individuals linked to the 15 July 2016 coup attempt. On the night of 1 August 2026, a coordinated operation 2026 by the Turkey’s Ministry of Interior, the General Directorate of Security Intelligence and police units from the Afyonkarahisar and Eskişehir captured intelligence branches resulted in the arrest of former army captain and helicopter pilot ex‑FETÖ member Burkay Karatepe, identified as the last fugitive of the suicide team that tried to overthrow President Erdoğan. 15 July 2016 coup attempt. MIT’s facial‑recognition system matched his image from Karatepe to city‑camera footage (65‑83 % similarity), with similarity scores of 65‑83 %, leading investigators to three rented hideouts, two abandoned of which were cell houses lacking electricity and his arrest in Afyonkarahisar. Searches of his abandoned residence recovered water. During the raid, authorities seized roughly 6.445 million TL in cash and valuables, now detailed as 98 Ata lira, four half‑gold pieces, 23 quarter‑gold pieces, valuables—including gold coins, a 50 g gold bar, 33 700 USD, 2 620 EUR US $33,700 and 13 535 TL, together €2,620—along with a laptop, hard‑disk, eight USB drives, three mobile phones, four SIM cards, organisational documents, a forged ID, two knives cards and 1.26 g of cannabis. organisational documents. A health check recorded a blood‑alcohol level of 0.34 ‰. Authorities also detained a helper, An accomplice, Özcan Atlı, who later testified that he had supplied Karatepe with a phone and phone, GSM line. Officials said the line and occasional food aid. The capture ends a decade‑long hunt for the final 2016 coup suspect.