5 killed, 14 injured at Turkish aerospace company: suspected terrorist attack

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemns 'heinous' attack after reports of explosion and  gunfire at Tusau headquarters near Ankara

Turkey's interior minister claimed that the explosion and attack on the headquarters of state-owned aerospace company Tusau outside Ankara, which left five people dead and  22 wounded, was a "terrorist attack.

The massive explosion occurred outside the building at 4pm on Wednesday, and gunfire was heard nearby. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he "condemns this heinous terrorist attack and prays for mercy for the martyrs." 

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, "Sadly, this attack has left five martyrs and 22 wounded. Three of the wounded have already been discharged from hospital, 19 of whom are receiving treatment." 

He said that the two attackers, a woman and a man, had been "neutralized" and were currently being identified. Yerlikaya did not say whether the other attackers were still at large, as there are conflicting reports on whether the situation is ongoing.

Media showing live footage of the crime scene were forced to stop broadcasting after Turkey's media regulator ordered them to be blocked. Habertürk TV had previously spoken of an ongoing "hostage crisis" without giving further details. The exact circumstances of the explosion and subsequent shooting remain unclear, with some media reports suggesting it was a suicide bombing. 

It was not clear who was behind the attack. Kurdish militants, Islamic State and left-wing extremists have carried out attacks in the country in the past. Defense Minister Yaoğlu Güler blamed the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) for the attack without providing any evidence. 

"We will punish the PKK thugs every time, as they deserve, but they will never come to their senses," Güler said. "We will pursue them until the last terrorist is eliminated." 

The attack came a day after the leader of Turkey's far-right Nationalist Movement party, an ally of Erdoğan, raised the possibility that jailed PKK leaders could be released on parole if they renounced violence and their organizational resolve. 

Erdoğan was in Kazan, Russia, for the BRICS summit of major emerging nations including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Initial reports said the attack was carried out by several gunmen who arrived at the scene by taxi. Local television footage showed people dressed in black and carrying backpacks firing at passersby on the street near the building. Television footage also showed a damaged gate and clashes in the car park. 

The group of attackers arrived at the complex's entrance by taxi during a guard shift, according to television station NTV. At least one of the attackers detonated a bomb, while the others managed to enter the complex. TusaÅ is one of Turkey's most important defense and aviation companies. It produces, among other things, the country's first domestically-built fighter jet, the Khan. 

 Turkish newspaper Hürriyet said employees in the building were taken to evacuation shelters for safety reasons. The explosion occurred during a major defense and aviation industry trade fair in Istanbul, attended this week by Ukraine's top diplomat.

Turkey's defense sector,  known for producing the Bayraktar drone, accounts for nearly 80% of the country's export revenue. Revenues in 2023 are estimated to exceed $10.2 billion. 

The attack was condemned by Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloel and opposition leader Ezgül Azer, chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP). "I condemn the terrorist attack on the TAI facility in Kahramankazan...I condemn terrorism regardless of who or where it comes from," Ezer wrote on Twitter. 

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the military alliance supports Turkey. He posted on Twitter that "reports of casualties in Ankara are very alarming." #NATO stands with our ally #Turkey. We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and are closely monitoring developments." 

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