Several people are understood to have been killed and scores more wounded in a terrorist attack on the outskirts of Turkey’s capital of An...
Several people are understood to have been killed and scores more wounded in a terrorist attack on the outskirts of Turkey’s capital of Ankara.
An explosion rocked the headquarters of TUSAS, one of Turkey’s most important defence and aviation companies, based in the town of Kahramankazan.
Footage circulating on social media shows the blast at the entrance of the facility, just metres away from the car park.
It was then followed by reports of gunfire in the vicinity, with people seen fleeing the scene and taking shelter.
At least three people were killed and five more injured authorities told a Turkish TV channel.
The cause of the explosion and the subsequent shooting remain unclear but someoutlets claim that a suicide attack had taken place.
Haberturk TV said there was an ongoing ‘hostage situation’ without giving further details.
Private NTV television said a group of assailants arrived at an entry to the complex inside a taxi during a changing of the security personnel.
One of the assailants is reported to have detonated a bomb, while three attackers managed to enter the complex and open fire on staff inside.
CCTV images circulating online show two men and a woman armed with assault rifles entering the premises.
In the background, the body of at least one person is seen on the asphalt in the car park.
Emergency services were dispatched to the site in the Kahramankazan district, the Turkish news agency Anadolu reported.
Interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a statement: ‘A terrorist attack was carried out against the Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSAÅž) Ankara Kahramankazan facilities. Unfortunately, we have martyrs and injured people after the attack.’
Kurdish fighters, the Islamic State group and leftist extremists have carried out a number of attacks in the country in the past, but there has been no immediate claim.
TUSAS designs, manufactures and assembles both civilian and military aircrafts, unmanned aerial vehicles and other defense industry and space systems.
The blast occurred as a major trade fair for the defense and aerospace industries was taking place in Istanbul which was visited this week by Ukrainian diplomats.
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