At least five dead in 'terror attack' at aerospace facility in Turkey, officials say

LONDON– Several people were killed in a “terrorist attack” on Turkish aerospace industry facilities near the capital Ankara on Wednesday, Turkish officials said.

According to Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, at least five people were killed and 22 injured in the attack. Among the injured were seven members of the special forces who responded to the attack, he said.

Two attackers – a man and a woman – were killed and Turkish authorities are working to identify them, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

“I condemn this heinous attack,” Yerlikaya said in a post on X. “Our fight will continue with determination and determination until the last terrorist is neutralized.”

Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler claimed that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was behind the attack. The Kurdish separatist movement is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.

“We give these PKK thugs the punishment they deserve every time, they don't come to their senses,” he said in a statement to the media on Wednesday. “I repeat what I always say: we will not let them go until the last terrorist is eliminated.”

Yilmaz also said that the PKK appeared to be responsible for the attack, but the investigation was still ongoing.

After the attack, the Turkish Defense Ministry said it carried out airstrikes that destroyed 32 PKK targets in Iraq and northern Syria. The attacks resulted in at least three explosions.

Surveillance camera footage of the attack showed two armed attackers carrying backpacks approaching the entrance to the facility.

Turkish Aerospace Industries' location is approximately 25 miles outside of Ankara.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described the incident as “deeply worrying.”

“NATO stands with our ally Türkiye. We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and are closely monitoring developments,” he said in a statement on X.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby also condemned the attack.

“Our prayers go out to all those affected and their families and, of course, to the people of Turkey at this very difficult time,” he said during a White House briefing on Wednesday. “Although we do not yet know the motive or who exactly is behind it, we condemn this act of violence in the strongest possible terms.”

ABC News' Somayeh Malekian, Morgan Winsor and Trisha Mukherjee contributed to this report.