Attackers kill several people at Turkish state aviation site

October 23, 2024 - 19:59

Several people were killed and over a dozen others injured in an attack at the headquarters of an aviation company near the Turkish capital Ankara on Wednesday.

The country's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on X that two attackers were "neutralized" in the incident, which saw gunshots and explosions, BBC reported. 

Initial images shown by the NTV television channel were of a large cloud of smoke in front of the entrance of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), which is located some 40km (25 miles) outside the capital.

Firefighters and medical teams were dispatched to the scene.

Local media reported that blast took place around the time of a shift change, and staff had to be directed to shelters.

Some outlets have carried a photograph purporting to show one suspect climbing over a turnstile and entering the building holding a gun.

Turkey’s Justice Minister, Yilmaz Tunc, announced on X that the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a “judicial investigation” into the incident.

TAI is a key player in Turkey’s aerospace industry, designing, developing and manufacturing various aircraft for commercial and military use.