The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a Turkish state-run defense company near Ankara. The attack resulted in five fatalities and 22 injuries.
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) was targeted by PKK fighters who used explosives and automatic rifles. The attack prompted a fierce response from the Turkish Ministry of National Defence, which conducted airstrike operations in northern Iraq to hit 34 PKK targets in multiple locations.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan chaired a security meeting in Istanbul and vowed to eradicate terrorism at its source. Turkish forces also struck targets in northern Syria following the attack near Ankara.
Despite Turkish claims of targeting only militant locations, reports emerged of civilian casualties in Syria. In response to the attack, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the arrest of 176 suspected PKK members in Turkey.
The PKK has been engaged in a long-standing conflict with Turkish forces, with the group seeking autonomy in southeastern Turkey. The recent events underscore the ongoing tensions and violence in the region.