Terrorists attack Aerospace Facility in Ankara, casualties confirmed, say Turkish officials
Turkish security forces are currently working to neutralize ‘terrorists,’ as reported by a local media outlet.
The Turkish Aerospace Industries headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, was targeted in a “terrorist attack” on October 23, resulting in casualties, according to Turkish officials.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya mentioned on the social media platform X that there were fatalities in the attack, without specifying the number.
“A terrorist attack was carried out against the TUSAS facilities,” Yerlikaya stated.
“Unfortunately, we have martyrs and injured individuals,” he added.
An explosion followed by gunshots was reported at the facility in Ankara’s Kahramankazan district, as per Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency.
The news agency indicated that Turkish security forces are currently working to neutralize the “terrorists.”
Related Stories
Security forces, firefighters, and paramedics have been deployed to the vicinity of the facility to respond to the situation, per the news agency.
Reports suggest that the incident might have involved a suicide attack, though details are still unconfirmed.
The group responsible for the attack remains unknown at this point.
Turkey’s official anti-disinformation agency, in a separate post on X, advised the public to rely exclusively on information from official sources to avoid spreading baseless rumors.
Government institution employees nationwide have been evacuated as a precaution against potential further attacks.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has initiated an investigation into the attack, with multiple prosecutors assigned to the case, as reported by Anadolu.
Turkish deputy parliament speaker Celal Adan condemned the attack, stating: “We condemn this treacherous terrorist attack. No act of terrorism can deviate our country from its course. They will be held accountable for the bloodshed.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reported a death toll of four, while the interior minister previously stated that 14 individuals were injured in the attack.
It is not yet clear whether the deceased were employees of the facility or attackers, and the number of perpetrators involved remains unknown.
In video footage, the attackers can be heard engaging in gunfire with security personnel.
TUSAŞ is a crucial defense and aviation company in Turkey, known for producing the country’s first domestically developed combat aircraft, KAAN. The company has around 10,000 employees.
One of the company’s objectives is to manufacture F-16 aircraft, integrate onboard systems, and conduct flight tests.
Gunfire is reportedly ongoing in and around the facility as of the latest reports.
Local media sources suggest that a group of hostages may be held by the attackers at the facility, though state-run media outlets have not confirmed this information.
Images on independent media platforms depicting hostages in a confined space have been removed.
