ANKARA — An attack struck the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) headquarters near Ankara on Wednesday causing multiple casualties. Turkish officials blamed a Kurdish militant group considered a terror outfit by Turkey.
At least seven people were killed in the attack, including two assailants, according to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. He also stated that 22 others were injured and transported to nearby hospitals. One of them is in serious condition.
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler pointed a finger at the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for the attack.
“We give these shameless PKK members the punishment they deserve every time, but they do not learn,” Guler told reporters. He gave no further details.
The PKK has been waging an armed campaign for Kurdish self-rule inside Turkey since 1984 and is considered a terror outfit by Ankara, Washington and a majority of European capitals.
“We will not stop pursuing them until the last terrorist is neutralized,” Guler added. Yerlikaya also said initial indications pointed to the PKK, but added that work to identify the attackers is still underway.
The militant group had not claimed responsibility for the attack as of this writing. The attack comes at a critical time amid reports suggesting that Turkey’s ruling coalition is considering using diplomacy in addition to military measures to solve the 40-year-old armed conflict.
On Tuesday, Devlet Bahceli, a nationalist leader and top ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, suggested that the conditions of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan’s life sentence without parole be reconsidered if the Kurdish militant leader agrees to declare the dissolution of the armed group. The statement marked a major departure from the ruling alliance’s hawkish stance.
What happened: The attack was first reported around 3:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. EST). A series of explosions and gunshots were heard at TUSAS, a leading Turkish defense company. Live footage published by the IHA news agency showed police and other emergency teams being dispatched to the scene.
Employees who took shelter on site immediately after the attack later started to leave the complex, footage from the scene showed.
Yerlikaya labeled the explosion a terror attack. Speaking from the scene, he said, “Unfortunately, at 15:26 p.m. [local time, 8:25 a.m. EST], a terrorist attack was carried out on TUSAS, the pride of our domestic and national defense industry.”
“Two terrorists, one female and one male, have been neutralized,” he said, adding that Turkish authorities were working to determine which organization was behind the attack.
An Ankara prosecutor has begun an investigation into the attack, Turkey’s official Anadolu News Agency reported.
Anil Sahin, a well-connected defense industry researcher, told HaberTurk that the attack was carried out by multiple assailants who arrived at the compound in a taxi. Footage from IHA showed a heavily damaged yellow cab at the site of the explosion. Yerlikaya identified late Wednesday one of the victims who was killed by the attackers as the driver of the taxi.
Several images carried by Turkish news outlets showed at least two attackers, one of them a woman, advancing inside the compound with long-barreled rifles.
Haluk Gorgun, head of Turkey’s Defense Industry Agency, is en route to Ankara along with other high-level defense officials who were attending a major international defense industry fair in Istanbul, TRT reported.
Reactions: Speaking from Russia, where he is attending the BRICS summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly condemned the attack.
“We have four martyrs and 14 injured. I condemn this heinous terrorist attack and pray for God’s mercy upon our martyrs,” said Erdogan, speaking on camera after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who condemned the attack as well.
In a social media post after the meeting, Erdogan described the attack as “a cowardly assault” targeting the country’s “defense initiatives that symbolize the ideal of a fully independent Turkey.”
“Our fight against all forms of terrorist threats and their supporters will continue with determination,” he added.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
“This treacherous terrorist attack targeted the successes Turkey has achieved in its defense industry,” Yilmaz said, emphasizing that the attacks will not deter the “heroic employees of our defense industry, nor any citizen who works tirelessly for the ideal of a fully independent Turkey in every field.”
The White House strongly condemned the “act of violence.”
“Our prayers are with all of those affected and their families, and of course also the people of Turkey at this very difficult time,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
“Turkish authorities, as they said it, are investigating this as a possible terrorist attack, and while we don’t yet know the motive or who is exactly behind it, we strongly condemn this act of violence,” he added.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte expressed his support for Turkey during a phone call with Erdogan. “My message was clear: #NATO stands with #Turkiye,” he wrote on X. “We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and are closely monitoring developments.”
Know more: Located in the Kahramankazan district about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Ankara’s city center, the vast TUSAS complex covers some 4 million square meters. The defense giant is the manufacturer of Turkey’s first locally produced fifth-generation fighter jet Kaan as well as the Hurjet, a trainer and light attack aircraft, and the Hurkus, a basic trainer and close air support aircraft.
Access to social media platforms was restricted in Turkey. According to NetBlocks, a website that tracks internet bans, “Platforms including X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok have been restricted in Turkey.” Authorities also imposed a broadcast ban to prevent the news media from publishing sensitive images of the attack.
This developing story has been updated since initial publication.