Five Killed, 22 Injured In Terror Attack On Turkish Aerospace Industries Company
On Wednesday, 23 October, around 15:30 local time, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK terrorist organization launched an attack on the Kahramankazan facilities of one of Turkey’s most important defense companies, the Turkish Aerospace Industries Company (TAI), in the capital Ankara. The attack came at a critical time, amidst a growing rhetoric by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his nationalist ally Devlet Bahceli, that diplomatic as well as military measures are needed to resolve the long-running armed conflict.
Following the incident, the Information and Communication Technologies Authority, which controls the internet in Turkey, restricted access to social media platforms such as X, Instagram, and Facebook to ‘prevent information pollution and disinformation.’ Despite the broadcast ban, CCTV footage shared by the company’s security guards to media organizations was widely circulated on social networks. Videos and photographs from the scene show two terrorists, a man and a woman, arriving at TAI’s facilities in a taxi they had previously seized and then starting an attack with Kalashnikov rifles. The footage also showed moments of an explosion inside the facility. However, no explanation was given as to what caused the explosion.
Upon hearing the sounds of gunfire and explosions, a large number of ambulances and fire trucks, as well as gendarmerie, police, and special operations personnel, were dispatched to the scene. The attack was brought under control in a short time after the PKK members, named Ali Örek (male attacker) and Mine Sevjin Alçiçek (female attacker), were neutralized.
Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya said that five people lost their lives and 22 people were wounded in the attack. The victims were identified as Cengiz Coşkun, a quality control officer at TAI; Hasan Hüseyin Canbaz, an employee of the organization; Zahide Güçlü, a mechanical engineer; Atakan Şahin Erdoğan, a security guard and Murat Arslan, a taxi driver.
Many senior figures from Ankara, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, expressed their condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded. In addition, ending terrorism and continuing to develop the domestic defense industry against all kinds of threats were among the common messages in the statements.
The terrorist attack was condemned by many countries, including Turkish authorities, as well as NATO and EU members. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that ‘the UN stands in solidarity with the Turkish people and government.’ NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte added: ‘We stand with Turkey. We strongly condemn all forms of terrorism.’
The Turkish Armed Forces carried out an air operation against terrorist targets in northern Iraq and northern Syria on the night of 23 October in retaliation for the terrorist act. In a statement released by the Ministry of Defence, it was reported that a total of 32 targets were successfully destroyed, and many terrorists were killed during the operation. The ministry also said:
“The Turkish Armed Forces will continue its fight against terrorism for the survival and security of our country and nation with determination and resolve until there is not a single terrorist left. During these operations, all measures have been taken to ensure that innocent civilians, friendly elements, historical and cultural assets, and the environment are not harmed.”
Recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and many European countries, the PKK is responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 thousand people in attacks since 1984. The terrorist organization reached the peak of its power in the 90s, but its activities have been greatly reduced recently thanks to Turkey’s successful counter-terrorism operations within and beyond its borders. Despite these efforts, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating how the terrorist organization was able to attack one of the most important institutions of the state in the Turkish capital and what security and intelligence weaknesses allowed it to do so. In addition, the authorities are increasing the security of many important locations, especially the airport, in case of a new terrorist attack.