Attackers kill 5, injure 22 at Turkish aviation site

Duvar English & Reuters

Two attackers killed five people and wounded 22 others on Oct. 23 in what Ankara called a terrorist attack at the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) headquarters, where witnesses said they heard gunfire and an explosion.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said both attackers were killed after the attack, adding two of the injured are in critical condition. TV broadcasters showed footage of armed assailants entering the TUSAŞ building near Ankara.

"Two terrorists were neutralized in the terror attack on the TUSAŞ Ankara Kahramankazan site," Yerlikaya said.

"Sadly, we have 5 martyrs and 22 wounded in the attack. Three of the injured were already discharged from hospital, 19 of them under treatment," he said.

Yerlikaya also said the perpetrators were "highly likely" members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"The style of the act shows that it's highly likely the PKK that carried out the attack. Once identification is completed and other evidence become clearer, we'll share more concrete information with you," he said.

Prosecutors have launched an investigation, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, alongside Russia's Vladimir Putin at a BRICS conference in the Russian city of Kazan, condemned the attack and accepted Putin's condolences. NATO, the United States and the European Union also condemned the attack.

Witnesses told Reuters that employees inside the building had been taken to shelters by the authorities and no one had been permitted to leave for a few hours. They said the blasts they heard may have taken place at different exits as employees were leaving work for the day.

Witnesses later said evacuation of personnel from the TUSAŞ campus had started and buses were allowed to leave as the operation had ended.

Broadcasters showed images of a damaged gate and footage of an exchange of gunfire in a parking lot, as well as the two attackers carrying assault rifles and backpacks as they entered the building. Ambulances and helicopters later arrived.

TUSAŞ is Turkey's largest aerospace manufacturer, currently producing a training craft, combat and civilian helicopters, as well as developing the country's first indigenous fighter jet, KAAN. Owned by the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation and government, it employs more than 10,000 people.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned the attack and said the military alliance would stand with its ally Turkey.

User in Turkey experience problems in accessing social media

Following the armed and bomb attacks, access issues are being experienced on social media platforms in Turkey. Users have been facing problems while accessing into several platforms, including YouTube, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

The Turkish government has not issued a statement regarding any bandwidth throttling.