Following the attack, MIT launched targeted strikes on key infrastructure linked to the PKK/YPG, including energy facilities, logistics hubs, and ammunition depots located in both northern Syria and Iraq
News Desk
SYRIA: In a decisive response to a terrorist attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in Ankara, Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has initiated operations targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian affiliate, the YPG, in northern Syria and Iraq. The attack on TAI’s headquarters, which occurred on Wednesday in the Kahramankazan district, resulted in the tragic deaths of five individuals, including TAI employees, a taxi driver, and a security guard, with an additional 22 people injured. The perpetrators of the attack were neutralized by Turkish security forces shortly thereafter.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has attributed the assault to the PKK, reaffirming the Turkish government’s commitment to eradicate the terrorist threat. Defence Minister Yasar Guler emphasized this resolve, stating that Türkiye would pursue the PKK “until the last terrorist is eliminated.” Following the attack, MIT launched targeted strikes on key infrastructure linked to the PKK/YPG, including energy facilities, logistics hubs, and ammunition depots located in both northern Syria and Iraq. The intelligence agency has vowed to continue its operations until all strategic objectives are achieved, aiming to dismantle the operational capabilities of the terrorist organization.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the attack, calling it a “heinous” act against the country’s defense industry. His condemnation came just a day after Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), hinted at a potential conditional parole for Abdullah Öcalan, the controversial PKK leader, who has spearheaded the group’s insurgency against Türkiye for decades. This statement raised eyebrows amidst the heightened tensions following the Ankara attack.
International reaction to the assault was swift, with European Union officials expressing solidarity with Türkiye. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell reaffirmed the EU’s strong opposition to terrorism in all its forms. Similarly, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, echoed these sentiments, and the Iraqi embassy in Ankara condemned the attack, reiterating its stance against extremism. Iraq has previously banned the PKK from operating within its borders, highlighting the complex regional dynamics at play.
