A huge explosion outside the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) near Ankara left several people dead and injured, Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed on Wednesday. He described the incident as a “terrorist attack.”
“A terrorist attack was carried out against the Turkish Aerospace Industries… Unfortunately, we have martyrs and injured people,” Yerlikaya wrote on X.
Hostage Situation and Gunfire Reported
Local media footage showed smoke clouds and a large fire at the site in Kahramankazan, a town 40 kilometers north of Ankara. Haberturk TV mentioned an ongoing hostage situation, while NTV spoke of gunshots after the blast, which occurred around 4:00 pm (1300 GMT). Reports suggested it was a suicide attack by “a group of terrorists” who stormed TAI’s headquarters, with one attacker blowing themself up. CCTV images showed a black-clad young man with a rifle at the building’s entrance.
Attack Draws Strong Condemnation
The attack was condemned by Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu and opposition leader Ozgur Ozel, who heads the CHP. “I condemn the terrorist attack against TAI facilities… no matter who or where it comes from,” Ozel wrote on X.
TAI, a state-run arms producer, employs 15,500 people, with its production site covering five million square meters. The attack occurred while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in Russia for the BRICS summit, preparing for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Also Read: PM Modi To BRICS Leaders: No Place For Double Standards On Terrorism, Terror Financing
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