Turkey
Turkish police officers secure part of a main road in Kahramankazan, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Ankara on October 23, 2024, in the vicinity of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) building. Photo: Adem ALTAN / AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - World leaders have sent messages of condolence and condemnation to Turkey after a deadly attack on an aerospace firm in the capital Ankara on Wednesday.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani called it a “terrorist attack.”
“I condemn today’s terrorist attack in Ankara. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and I wish a swift recovery to the injured. We stand in full solidarity with the people and government of Türkiye against terrorism,” Barzani said on X.
On Wednesday evening, as-yet unidentified persons attacked facilities of Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSAS) in Ankara’s Kahramankazan district. Five people were killed and 22 others were injured, according to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who said that two attackers were “neutralized.”
No group has claimed responsibility, but Yerlikaya told reporters that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) might be to blame.
“The identification process and the search for fingerprints are continuing and we will say which terrorist organisation was behind the attack... The way in which this action was carried out is very probably linked to the PKK," he said.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also condemned the attack in a message on X.
“I condemn the terrorist attack in Ankara. I conveyed my condolences to Türkiye Foreign Minister [Hakan Fidan]. My thoughts are with the families of the victims and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he said.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement on X.
“The United States stands with our Ally Türkiye and strongly condemns today’s terrorist attack. My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” Blinken said.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack.
“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the terrorist attack on Turkish Aerospace Industry’s facilities in Ankara,” read a statement released by his office.
“The United Nations stands in solidarity with the people of and government of the Republic of Türkiye,” he added.
The United Kingdom also joined the chorus of condemnation.
“Deeply saddened and appalled by the terrorist attack at the TUSAŞ premises in Kahramankazan, Ankara. The UK stands in solidarity with its ally Türkiye, and condemns terrorism in all its forms,” said the British diplomatic mission in Turkey.
TUSAS designs and builds civilian and military aircraft and drones, as well as other defense systems.
Unverified videos shared on social media showed a large blast and flames rising from what is believed to be the location of the attack.
According to the privately owned NTV television, the perpetrators timed their arrival with an end-of-shift change of personnel and at least one of the attackers detonated a bomb while others entered the complex.
A Turkish court has imposed a broadcast ban, as in common during security incidents in Turkey.
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