'Terrorist attack' hits Turkish aerospace firm near Ankara

Five people were killed in attack on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) headquarters near Ankara, on Wednesday, with 22 more injured.

"I condemn this heinous terror attack," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said two assailants were killed in what he described as a "terrorist attack."

In the aftermath of the incident, Turkey's Defense Ministry announced airstrikes on Kurdish militant targets in Syria and Iraq the early hours of Thursday morning.

What do we know about the incident?

Attackers set off explosives at the facility and opened fire, according to authorities.

Footage from the scene bshowed large clouds of black smoke and a large fire raging at the site in Kahramankazan, a small town some 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the capital Ankara.

Turkish television network NTV reported that a group of assailants, carrying assault weapons, arrived at an entry to the complex inside a taxi. 

They detonated an explosive device next to the taxi before entering the complex.

"Two terrorists were neutralized in the terror attack on the TUSAS Ankara Kahramankazan site," Yerlikaya said.

Turkey pointing finger at Kurdish PKK

Yerlikaya later said the attack was likely carried out by members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).

"The identification process and the search for fingerprints are continuing and we will say which terrorist organization was behind the attack... The way in which this action was carried out is very probably linked to the PKK," he said on Wednesday night.

Defense Minister Yasar Guler also blamed the PKK. "We give these PKK scoundrels the punishment they deserve every time. But they never come to their senses," Guler said. "We will pursue them until the last terrorist is eliminated."

In the early hours of Thursday morning, the Turkey's Defense Ministry it launched an aerial offensive on targets in northern Syria and Iraq that were linked to the PKK.

"An air operation was carried out against terrorist targets in the north of Iraq and Syria... and a total of 32 targets belonging to the terrorists were successfully destroyed," the ministry said in a statement.

The PKK is a militant Kurdish organization, designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. It has waged a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish government.

TUSAS is a developer and producer of aerospace systems, such as combat aircraft and drones. The company website says that it is a licensed manufacturer for the US-designed F-16 fighter jets.

'Terrorist' attack condemned

Several officials worldwide condemned the attack later on Wednesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his condolences to Erdogan while the pair met at the BRICS summit.

"We are very pleased to welcome you to Kazan, but before we begin our work I would like to express my condolences in connection with the terror attack," Putin said.

Germany also condemned what it said was a "horrific terrorist attack." A foreign ministry spokeswoman described it as "deeply shocking."

NATO chief Mark Rutte offered member-state Turkey the alliance's backing. In a call with Erdogan, Rutte stressed that "NATO stands with Turkey."

The US also condemned the attack.

"While we don't yet know the motive or who is exactly behind it, we strongly condemn this act of violence," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists.

zc, rmt, rm/lo (Reuters, AP, dpa, AFP)