A lethal “terrorist attack” on Wednesday rocked a top Turkish defense company in Ankara and killed people, according to a senior government minister.
“A terrorist attack was carried out against the Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSAŞ) Ankara Kahramankazan facilities. Unfortunately, we have martyrs and injured people following the attack,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a statement on social media.
The company runs maintenance on Turkey’s fleet of old F-16 fighter jets and sells its own systems, from military aircraft under its own TF-X program to training aircraft such as the Hürkuş while it also pitched a multirole helicopter at international air shows this year.
Images published on Turkish state-run outlet Anadolu Agency show a major emergency services presence at the site of the attack.
Turkey’s Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç condemned the attack and said a probe was underway.
“A judicial investigation has been launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding the treacherous terrorist attack,” he said.
Turkey’s Western allies signaled their support for Ankara in the wake of the bombing.
“Deeply concerning reports of dead and wounded in Ankara. NATO stands with our Ally Turkey. We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and are monitoring developments closely,” said NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in a statement Wednesday afternoon.
This story is being updated.
Stuart Lau contributed to this report.
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