The assailants targeted a key defense firm near Ankara, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has said
Several people have been killed and wounded in an attack on the headquarters of a defense and aerospace company near Ankara, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Wednesday.
“A terrorist attack was carried out against the Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSAS) Ankara Kahramankazan facilities,” Yerlikaya wrote in a post on X. “Unfortunately, we have martyrs and injured people after the attack.”
The minister provided no further information, promising to release more details in due course.
Video footage shared on social media shows an explosion at the facility, while gunfire could be heard in some clips. Multiple gunmen could be seen in several videos and photos, holding rifles equipped with suppressors.
A terrorist attack occurred in the capital of Turkey. Explosions and gunfire were heard in the city.The information from Turkish media about the terrorist attack in front of the building of an aerospace company was confirmed by the country’s Minister of Interior, Ali Yerlikaya.… pic.twitter.com/LixrOmDar4
— Ulfh3dnar (@Ulfh3dnar_) October 23, 2024
Türkiye’s NTV broadcaster said that a group of assailants arrived at the facility in a taxi during a changeover of security personnel. At least one of them detonated a bomb while the others entered the building, the network claimed.
The attackers took several hostages, according to NTV. Unconfirmed photos circulating on social media show around a dozen people held captive in a room, purportedly inside the building.
TUSAS manufactures F-16 fighter jets under license from General Dynamics, as well as a wide range of avionics devices and aircraft components for civilian and military use. The company also builds jets, attack helicopters, and drones for the Turkish military. Its largest shareholder is the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, a state-run military research and procurement organization.
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