Ankara: Four people were killed, and 14 others were injured in a terrorist attack at the Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TUSAS) headquarters on Wednesday, according to government officials. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire and explosions at the facility, located near Ankara.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the deaths of two attackers and said three of the injured remain in critical condition. “Two terrorists were neutralized in the attack on the TUSAS Ankara Kahramankazan site. Sadly, we have three martyrs and 14 wounded in the attack,” Yerlikaya stated.
TV footage showed armed assailants storming the building. The attackers carried assault rifles and backpacks as they entered, with an exchange of gunfire captured in the parking lot. Witnesses said employees were escorted to shelters, and no one was allowed to leave the premises for several hours.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who was attending a BRICS conference in the Russian city of Kazan alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, condemned the attack and received Putin’s condolences. NATO, the United States, and the European Union also issued statements condemning the assault.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation. The state-run Anadolu Agency reported that the cause of the explosion remains unclear.
Some media outlets speculated that the attack could have involved suicide bombers, and rumors circulated about potential hostages inside the building. However, officials have not confirmed these reports.
Following the attack, evacuation efforts began, and buses were allowed to transport personnel away from the TUSAS campus once authorities declared the situation under control.
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TUSAS, Turkey’s largest aerospace manufacturer, employs over 10,000 people. The company is involved in producing training aircraft, combat and civilian helicopters, and developing the country’s first indigenous fighter jet, KAAN. It is owned by the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation and the Turkish government.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed solidarity with Turkey, stating that the military alliance would stand by its ally in this difficult time.
