Four people were killed and 14 others injured in an attack on the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), a major defense firm near Ankara, on Wednesday. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was in Russia meeting Vladimir Putin condemned the “heinous terrorist attack” and confirmed the death toll. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that two attackers, a man and a woman were “neutralized” and that three of the injured were in critical condition.
Local media reported clouds of smoke and a fire at the TAI site in Kahramankazan around 40 km north of Ankara. Reports also mentioned gunshots following the blast with some outlets suggesting a hostage situation. A media blackout was enforced by Turkiye’s media watchdog. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but NTV reported it as a possible suicide attack. A CCTV image showed a male suspect carrying an assault rifle and wearing a rucksack.
Erdogan, meeting Putin at the BRICS summit, received condolences from the Russian president and NATO chief Mark Rutte, who expressed the alliance’s support for Turkiye. The attack occurred during a defense and aerospace trade fair in Istanbul, highlighting Turkiye’s growing defense sector known for its Bayraktar drones and significant export revenue. TAI employing over 15,000 people is a state-run firm with a vast production facility.
The last major attack in Turkiye was in October 2023 when the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) claimed responsibility for an explosion in Ankara. The Turkish government has launched an investigation into the latest attack as authorities work to determine the identities of the attackers. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from both government officials and opposition leaders in Turkiye.
