ANKARA: Four people were killed and fourteen others were injured after two terrorists set off explosives and opened fire on the premises of the Turkish state-run aerospace and defense company TUSAS on Wednesday.
Turkey's interior minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the attack via X post.
The two attackers, a man and a woman were also killed, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
“We have four martyrs. We have 14 wounded. I condemn this heinous terrorist attack,” Erdogan said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a BRICS meeting in Russia.
Putin offered condolences. A U.S. Embassy statement said Washington “strongly condemns today’s terrorist attack."
It was not clear who may be behind the attack. Kurdish militants, the Islamic State group and leftist extremists have carried out attacks in the country in the past.
Private NTV television said a group assailants arrived at an entry to the complex inside a taxi during a changing of the security personnel. At least one of the assailants detonated a bomb, while other attackers managed to enter the complex.
NTV said gunfire at the site was continuing and that some personnel at the complex may have been taken hostage.
Helicopters were seen flying above the premises in Ankara's Kahramankazan district, the station reported.
TUSAS designs, manufactures and assembles both civilian and military aircrafts, unmanned aerial vehicles and other defense industry and space systems.
Security camera images from the attack, aired on television, showed a man in plainclothes carrying a backpack and holding an assault rifle. At least one woman, also carrying an assault rifle, was among the assailants, according to the images.
Earlier, media reports said an explosion followed by gunfire was heard at the complex.
Security forces, ambulances and firefighters were dispatched to the site, NTV television reported.
Employees at the company were taken to a safe area, HaberTurk television reported.