ANKARA: Four people were killed and 14 others wounded in a terrorist attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), a leading state-owned defence firm near Ankara, Turkey’s interior minister said on Wednesday.
The attack took place in the Kahramankazan district 25 miles north of the capital when a huge explosion rocked the area followed by gunfire, local media reported.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, “We have three martyrs and 14 injured in the attack.” He further said that security forces had “neutralised two terrorists” involved in the assault.
Yerlikaya described the incident as a “terrorist attack” and conveyed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. The attack occurred around 4 p.m. local time (8 a.m. Eastern), causing significant damage to the TAI headquarters, where a fire broke out following the explosion.
Video footage aired by Turkish media showed smoke billowing from the facility, with security personnel, firefighters, and paramedics rushing to the scene. There were also reports of an ongoing “hostage situation,” according to Haberturk TV.
TAI, a critical part of Turkey’s defence industry, has been involved in various aerospace projects, but it does not produce the famous Bayraktar drones, which are associated with Turkey’s defence exports. TAI’s role in the country’s military and government operations makes it a significant target.
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Turkey has a long history of conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
The Turkish government has conducted several cross-border military operations against PKK and its affiliated groups, such as the YPG, in northern Iraq and Syria.
The attack took place at a time when a major defence and aerospace trade fair was underway in Istanbul, attended by senior officials, including Ukraine’s top diplomat.
