Turkey hits Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria after defense company attack

Turkey's government said it carried out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria linked to the Kurdish militant group the PKK, as it blamed them for the attack near Ankara that killed at least five people and injured 22 others.

In an apparent retaliatory attack, Turkey hit at least 30 targets of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq and Syria, hours after the headquarters of the country's Defense Ministry was attacked by unknown assailants.

On Oct 23, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) located near Turkey's capital Ankara, was attacked by at least two people.

Videos of the incident have gone viral where two persons are seen firing around the entrance of the state-run defense company, located some 40km (25 miles) outside the capital.

The two attackers set off explosives and opened fire at the aerospace and defense company TUSAS.

TUSAS has played a key role in strengthening Turkey's position against Kurdish militants. The defense company designs, manufactures and assembles civilian and military aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and other defense systems.

At least five people were killed and 22 others were injured in the incident for which no group has claimed responsibility.

The attackers were a man and a woman who also were killed, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

The Turkish Defense Ministry has affirmed that no harm was caused to civilians, and the airstrikes were carried out on PKK targets with all necessary precautions. However, it did not provide specific details.

"A total of 32 targets belonging to the terrorists were successfully destroyed" in the retaliatory attack, the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The Turkish government believes that the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, were behind the attack.
Defense Minister Yasar Guler said, "we will pursue them until the last terrorist is eliminated.”

Turkey is known to carry out regular airstrikes against the PKK, which has a strong foothold in Iraq including a Kurdish militia group in Syria that is affiliated with the militants.

The PKK has not released any statement.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is currently attending the BRICS summit condemned the attack, saying, "I condemn this heinous terrorist attack."

Other leaders also condemned the attack including the Iraqi Embassy in Ankara issuing a statement which said the embassy “affirms Iraq’s firm position in rejecting terrorism and extremism in all its forms and manifestations, and expresses the solidarity of Iraq’s government and people, with the government and people of the Republic of Turkey.”

Earlier this year, Iraq announced a ban on the militant group PKK.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres showed support for Turkey.