Turkey terror attack: Many ‘dead’, some ’taken hostage’ after massive explosion at aerospace company

Three people were killed and five others were injured in a “terror attack” on the headquarters of Turkish aerospace and defense company TUSAS, the mayor of Kahramankazan province, Selim Cirpanoglu, told the Turkish TV channel Tele on Wednesday.

An explosion, followed by gunfire, was heard at the premises of the Turkey's aviation company on Wednesday. The explosion on Wednesday may have been caused by a suicide bomber, the HaberTurk television reported.

Meanwhile, Turkey's interior minister said that a huge explosion outside the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) near Ankara left a number of people "dead and injured".

The minister described it as a "terrorist attack".

"A terrorist attack was carried out against the Turkish Aerospace Industries... Unfortunately, we have martyrs and injured people," Ali Yerlikaya wrote on X, soon after local media reported a blast and shooting outside the site some 40 kilometres (25 miles) outside Ankara.

Employees at the company, located in the outskirts of Ankara, were taken to a safe area, local reports added. Security forces, ambulances and firefighters were dispatched to the site, NTV television reported.

TUSAS designs, manufactures and assembles both civilian and military aircrafts, unmanned aerial vehicles and other defense industry and space systems.

Some 'taken hostage'
Videos and footage from security cameras reportedly showed man with backpack and holding an assault rifle at the premises of the aerospace company. NTV reported that gunfire at the site was continuing and that some personnel at the complex may have been taken hostage.

At least one woman, also carrying an assault rifle, was among the assailants, according to the images.