Three people were killed and five others wounded in an attack on the headquarters of Turkey’s aviation company TUSAS, the mayor of Kahramankazan province, Selim Cirpanoglu, told the Turkish TV channel Tele1.
Turkey said on Wednesday that a deadly attack was carried out at the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) near Ankara, while media reported a loud explosion at the site and showed footage of an exchange of gunfire there.
“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 X.
NTV television is reported that hostages had been taken by the attackers, this is yet to be confirmed by officials.
Reports of suicide bombing
The cause of the explosion and the subsequent gunfire remained unclear, with some media reports claiming a suicide attack had occurred. Emergency services were dispatched to the site, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported.
Witnesses told Reuters that employees inside the building were taken by authorities to shelters and no one was permitted to leave. They said bombings may have taken place at different exits as employees were leaving work for the day.
Television images showed a damaged gate and a nearby clash in a parking lot.
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.
