In a swift and decisive response to a deadly terror attack, Turkey launched airstrikes against Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria. The strikes came just hours after Ankara blamed the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for the attack, which killed five people at the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) campus.
The Turkish defense ministry stated that its air force had targeted 32 locations linked to the PKK. The PKK, known for its decades-long insurgency in Turkey, is designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union.
The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, prompted a swift and forceful reaction from Turkish authorities. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya declared it “very likely” that the PKK was responsible for the assault. Special operations units, police, and gendarmerie were immediately deployed to the scene, and two terrorists were reportedly “neutralized” following the attack, according to the Turkish state news agency Anadolu.
While the exact locations of the Wednesday airstrikes remain undisclosed, the Turkish defense ministry has confirmed the strikes.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was attending the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, condemned the incident, stating, “I condemn this heinous terrorist attack and pray to God for mercy on our martyrs.”
Echoing the sentiment, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler referred to the PKK as “villains.” He stated, “As they always do, they tried to disturb our nation’s peace through a despicable and dishonorable attack… we will make them suffer for what they have done.”
Turkey’s Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz revealed that four of the victims killed in the attack were TAI employees, while the fifth was a taxi driver.
Initial reports, including those from private channel NTV, suggested that a “group of terrorists” stormed the building, with one terrorist detonating explosives. Other outlets reported exchanges of gunfire lasting over an hour, along with a potential hostage situation before the terrorists were neutralized.
Sabah newspaper published what it claimed was a CCTV image from the entrance showing a black-clad young man with a mustache carrying a rucksack and an assault rifle.
During a meeting with Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his “condolences in connection with the terror attack.”
This incident underscores the ongoing conflict between Turkey and the PKK, a conflict that has claimed countless lives and destabilized the region for decades. The Turkish government’s swift and decisive response signals its commitment to combatting terrorism and protecting its national security.
