At least five people were killed and 22 others were injured in a deadly attack that took place at the headquarter of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), a state-run aerospace company located near Turkey’s capital Ankara.
Several videos on social media showed the moment an explosion rocked the TUSAS headquarters, with one video depicting a person holding a firearm running in what appears to be a parking lot.
The attackers, identified as a man and a woman, were killed during the assault. The CCTV footage also captured them wearing backpacks, carrying guns, and approaching the entrance of the aerospace company’s headquarters.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Turkish defense minister Yasar Guler suggested that the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) could be behind it when questioned by journalists.
The PKK is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States.
The attack occurred a day after the leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party brought up Kurdish relations in Parliament, suggesting the release of the PKK’s jailed leader if he disbanded the organization.
‘Vile attack’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was attending the annual BRICS summit in Russia’s Kazan, at the time of the attack, condemned the “hateful attack” alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The terrorist attack against TAI, one of the locomotive organizations of the Turkish defense industry, is a vile attack targeting the survival of our country, the peace of our nation, and our defense initiatives that are the symbol of our “Fully Independent Turkey” ideal,” he said in a post on X.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed his concern and support for Turkey, while Ankara mayor Mansur Yavas and Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc also condemned the attack and announced the launch of an investigation, according to AP.
Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, an associate senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that the attack was the first of its kind in several years and took place as the Turkish government began exploring the idea of a peace process with the PKK. She emphasized that the attack on TUSAS, a major Turkish defense contractor and the crown jewel of Turkey’s defense industry, would be a huge trauma and raise many questions and suspicions in Turkey about the motivations behind it.
The US State Department is tracking reports of the attack, and the US embassy in Turkey strongly condemned the incident, expressing support for their ally. Russian President Putin also expressed his condolences to Erdogan, condemning any manifestations of this kind, regardless of their motivations.
Turkey launches airstrikes in Iraq and Syria
In a retaliatory attack, the Turkish military struck PKK targets in northern Iraq and Syria, according to the Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported that the Turkish military shelled Kobani city and the city of Tal Rifa’at, resulting in the deaths of two civilians and injuring six others.
The SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdî condemned the attacks as war crimes. In Iraq, the mayor of Mawat district in the Sulaymaniyah province reported that Mount Asos was targeted twice by Turkish airstrikes.
Broadcast ban
Turkish authorities announced a broadcast ban in the aftermath of the attack to prevent the spread of “terrorist propaganda” and called on broadcasters and social media companies to crack down on the dissemination of unconfirmed information and images. Internet monitoring firm Netblocks reported that social media platforms, including X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, had been restricted in Turkey following the announcement.