The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced after midnight that “thirty-two targets”, the positions of the PKK and its allies, in the north of Iraq and on the territory of Syria, were bombed, a few hours after the attack in Ankara that claimed the lives of five people . and was attributed to the Kurdish separatist armed movement by the Turkish authorities.
“As permitted by our right of self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, an air operation was carried out against terrorist targets in the north of Iraq and Syria (…) and a total of 32 terrorist targets were destroyed,” the ministry said in the he issued a press release, clarifying that “airline operations are continuing”.
It is noted that one of the criminals was identified as a member of the PKK. The neutralized man was identified as Ali Orek, a member of the PKK, nicknamed “Roger”.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Gerlikaya said yesterday that the perpetrators of the attack in the Turkish capital were “very likely” to be members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
According to Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, the five victims of the attack were four workers of the Turkish defense industry TUSAS and a taxi driver.
According to Interior Minister Gerlikaya, the criminals – a man and a woman – were “neutralized” (ie killed).
Another 22 people were injured, including seven members of Turkish special forces, according to Mr Gerlikaya.
The PKK, in an armed struggle against the Turkish state since 1984, has been designated a “terrorist” organization by Turkey, the US and the EU.
More Footage showing the Terrorists who carried out today’s Bombing and Shooting Attack on the Turkish Aerospace Industries Headquarters in Ankara, Turkey. pic.twitter.com/aGwXsdf1XG
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 23, 2024
Timeline of the attack
The attackers entered the complex in a taxi while the security personnel were changing. At least two attackers, a man and a woman, managed to enter the compound, and another person is seen opening fire.
Indeed, an explosion was heard at the entrance, as seen in footage published on social media. It is not clear if there was a suicide bomber or if one of the attackers detonated an explosive device.
An explosion and a shot were heard at TAI in Kazan, Ankara. view from the park pic.twitter.com/EacIFPf10f
— BurakSakinOl (@buraktut_) October 23, 2024
Both terrorists were carrying heavy weapons and backpacks that could contain explosives. Security cameras have even recorded the entrance of the two armed men with the man’s face clearly visible.
The Turkish government restricted the release of news about the strike so as not to “promote terrorism”. So far there has been no claim of responsibility for the attack.
Erdogan: The terrorist act against TUSAS is a despicable attack and it aims to save our country
Recep Tayyip Erdogan from Kazan, Russia, where he is at the BRICS summit, condemned the attack and in a post on X said that the terrorist act against TUSAS, one of the leading companies in Turkey’s defense industry and aimed at the survival of our country, the peace of our nation and our defense achievements, which reflects our ideal of an independent Turkey.”
“Our nation must know that the dirty hands extended to Turkey will be broken once and for all, no structure, no terrorist organization, no malicious center will be able to achieve its ambitions, ” he said.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte contacted the Turkish president by phone, who condemned the attack and expressed the Alliance’s solidarity with Turkey.
News of the attack came shortly before Tayyip Erdogan’s meeting in Kazan with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the dead.
“We will resolutely continue our fight against all terrorist elements and the forces that support them, inside and outside (Turkey). In the coming period, we will continue to strengthen our defense capabilities and the centers will never be allowed which targets Turkey and their proxies to achieve their ambitions against our country,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The attack prompted criticism from Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu as well as main opposition leader Ozgur Özel, who heads the Kemalist Republican People’s Party (CHP).
Rutte: We stand by our allies – We condemn terrorism
NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, while commenting on the deadly attack in Turkey, said, “NATO stands by our ally Turkey, we strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and we are closely monitoring developments.”