Ankara (Web Desk/Agencies): A ‘terrorist attack’ at the Turkish Aerospace Industries headquarters near Ankara has resulted in the deaths of at least five people and left 14 others injured, the government and eyewitnesses reported hearing gunfire and a loud explosion during the incident.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that two assailants were killed and labeled the event a terrorist attack. He mentioned that three of the injured individuals are in critical condition. Footage broadcasted on TV showed armed attackers entering the TUSAS building.
"Two terrorists were neutralized in the attack at the TUSAS Ankara Kahramankazan site. Sadly, we have three martyrs and 14 wounded," Yerlikaya stated.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who was attending a BRICS conference alongside Russia's Vladimir Putin, also referred to the incident as a terrorist attack.
The motives behind the assault and the identities of the attackers are still unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Authorities have launched an investigation, as reported by state-run Anadolu Agency. Some media outlets speculated that a suicide attack occurred and suggested that hostages may have been taken, but officials have not confirmed these claims.
Witnesses indicated that employees were moved to shelters for safety, with no one allowed to leave the building for several hours. They also noted that the blasts may have occurred at different exits as employees were leaving work for the day.
Broadcast images showed a damaged entrance and footage of gunfire in a parking lot, with the attackers carrying assault rifles and backpacks. Emergency services, including ambulances and helicopters, responded to the scene.
TUSAS is Turkey’s largest aerospace manufacturer, engaged in producing training aircraft, combat and civilian helicopters, and developing the country’s first indigenous fighter jet, KAAN. The company is owned by the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation and the government, employing over 10,000 people.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned the attack, reaffirming the alliance's support for Turkey, while the European Union (EU) delegation in Turkey also denounced the violence.