Turkey's government announced that its military conducted airstrikes on Wednesday night, targeting sites in Iraq and Syria linked to the Kurdish militant group PKK.
This action followed an attack near Ankara that left at least five people dead. The Turkish government blamed the PKK for the assault.
Earlier on Wednesday, videos from the incident showed at least two attackers firing guns near the entrance of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), located roughly 40 km (25 miles) from the capital. While no group has claimed responsibility, 22 people were reported injured.
The Turkish defense ministry confirmed that a total of 32 targets belonging to the terrorists were successfully destroyed" in the retaliatory strikes.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) as heinous in a post on X. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that the two attackers, a woman and a man, had been "neutralized" and suggested the PKK was likely behind the assault.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the UK, has been in conflict with the Turkish state since the 1980s, fighting for greater rights for the country's Kurdish minority.
According to Turkish intelligence officials cited by Reuters, the airstrikes targeted military facilities, ammunition depots, and energy infrastructure. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces reported that Turkey had launched a "new wave" of attacks, striking "civilian gatherings" and killing 12 people.
The Turkish defense ministry, however, emphasized that all necessary precautions were taken to prevent harm to civilians, friendly forces, and cultural or historical sites during the operations.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz confirmed that four of the five victims in the attack near Ankara were employees of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), while the fifth was a taxi driver.
The victims, named by Turkey's state-run news agency, include quality control officer Cengiz Coskun, mechanical engineer Zahide Guclu, security guard Atakan Sahin Erdogan, employee Huseyin Canbaz, and taxi driver Murat Arslan.
Local reports indicated that the attackers killed the cab driver and used his vehicle to carry out the assault. The explosion occurred during a shift change, forcing staff to take shelter. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya also revealed that seven special ops forces were among the 22 injured.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed his shock at the attack, stating in a post on X, We stand shoulder to shoulder with Turkey as a NATO ally and close friend.
President Erdogan, currently attending the BRICS summit in Russia, condemned the "vile terror attack" during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in remarks broadcast live on television.
In a lengthy statement posted on X, President Erdogan praised the swift response of security forces in neutralizing the attackers, asserting that no terrorist organization, no evil focus targeting our security will be able to achieve their goals.
Following the attack, Turkish authorities imposed a media blackout, restricting coverage of the incident, and large areas of the country experienced social media outages on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Ebubekir Sahin, president of Turkey’s Radio and TV Supreme Council, called for the removal of all related images from social media, urging users not to share content that will serve the purpose of terrorism.
The attack occurred at the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), a key player in Turkey’s aerospace sector. TAI designs, develops, and manufactures aircraft for both commercial and military purposes. The company is the licensed manufacturer of US-designed F-16 fighter jets for Turkey, and it also modernizes older military aircraft. TAI's two principal owners are the Turkish Armed Forces and a government body overseeing defense development and procurement.
The blast happened as Istanbul hosted a major trade fair for the defense and aerospace industries this week.
In a follow-up statement on X, President Erdogan commended the swift actions of security forces in neutralizing the attackers, emphasizing that no terrorist organization, no evil focus targeting our security will be able to achieve their goals.
In response to the attack, Turkish authorities imposed a media blackout, restricting the release of details. Many users across the country reported difficulties accessing social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Ebubekir Sahin, president of Turkey’s Radio and TV Supreme Council, ordered the removal of all images related to the incident from social media and urged users not to share content that could serve the purpose of terrorism.
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is a major force in Turkey’s aerospace sector, responsible for designing, developing, and manufacturing various aircraft for both commercial and military purposes. TAI is the licensed manufacturer of US-designed F-16 fighter jets for Turkey, a NATO member, and plays a significant role in modernizing older aircraft for the Turkish military.
The company’s two principal owners are the Turkish Armed Forces and a civilian arm of the Turkish government, tasked with enhancing defense capabilities and overseeing military procurement.
The attack occurred during a significant defense and aerospace trade fair being held in Istanbul this week, drawing attention amid ongoing security concerns.
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