A huge explosion took place at the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) near Ankara on Wednesday (Oct 23), killing three and injuring 14 others, Turkey’s interior minister said.
The minister called the incident a “terrorist attack”, and said that some people had died in there.
TUSAS is one of Turkey’s most important defence and aviation companies. It produces KAAN, the country’s first national combat aircraft, among other projects.
“A terrorist attack was carried out against the TUSAS facilities in Kahramankazan, Ankara. Unfortunately, we have martyrs and injured people,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media platform X.
Türk Havacılık ve Uzay Sanayii AŞ. (TUSAŞ) Ankara Kahramankazan tesislerine yönelik terör saldırısı gerçekleştirilmiştir.
Saldırı sonrası maalesef şehit ve yaralılarımız bulunmaktadır.
Şehitlerimize Allah’tan rahmet; yaralılarımıza acil şifalar diliyorum.
Gelişmelerden kamuoyu…
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) October 23, 2024
×
The interior minister condemned the attack, further saying that two terrorists were neutralized in the terror attack.
YENİ BİLGİ-1
Türk Havacılık ve Uzay Sanayii AŞ. (TUSAŞ) Ankara Kahramankazan tesislerine yönelik terör saldırısında 2 terörist etkisiz hale getirilmiştir.
Saldırıda maalesef 3 şehidimiz, 14 yaralımız var.
Şehitlerimize Allah’tan rahmet; yaralılarımıza acil şifalar diliyorum.…
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) October 23, 2024
×
Also read: Turkey: One killed, 7 injured in cable car collision at Antalya; over 40 still stranded
According to media reports, a loud explosion occurred at the site. The reports also highlighted footage of an exchange of gunfire there.
However, the cause of the reported gunfire and the explosion remained unclear yet. Meanwhile, some media reports are calling it a “suicide attack”.
Following the deadly incident, emergency services were dispatched to the site, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported.
Watch | Nigeria Fuel Tanker Explosion Kills More Than 100 And Injures Dozens
The television images showed a damaged gate and a nearby clash in a parking lot.
A report by Al-Monitor citing Turkey’s HaberTurk TV said that the workers took shelter on site.
The attack was carried out by multiple assailants who arrived at the compound in a taxi, Anil Sahin, a well-connected defence industry researcher, told HaberTurk.
Moreover, the footage from IHA showed a heavily damaged yellow cab reportedly involved in the initial explosion.
(With inputs from agencies)