Kurdish rebel group PKK claims deadly attack on Turkish defence firm
Turkey hits PKK targets in northern Iraq, Syria after deadly attack in Ankara
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on Friday (Oct 25) claimed responsibility for the attack on a state-run Turkish defence firm in Ankara on Wednesday.
The PKK took toTelegram and said, "The act of sacrifice at TAI campus in Ankara at around 15:30 local time on Wednesday was carried out by a team of the immortals battalion" of the PKK," referring to Turkish Aerospace Industries.
Notably, Wednesday's attack in Turkey killed five people and injured 22.
Following the attack, the Turkish government said that they had proof that the PKK, which is listed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western Allies, was behind the attack.
On Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan chaired a security meeting in Istanbul soon after he landed from Russia where he was attending the BRICS Summit.
He further said the attack targeted "the survival of our country."
Turkey responds by dropping bombs at PKK targets
In retaliation, the Turkish warplanes dropped bombs on PKK targets in Iraq and Syria, hours after the group attacked the Turkish industry.
Watch |Blast At Turkey's Aerospace Industries HQ; 2 Terrorists Neutralised, SWAT Teams Deployed
Turkey's Ministry of National Defence said 47 targets were “destroyed” in the aerial offensive on Wednesday, without providing details on the locations that were hit. It said “all kinds of precautions” were taken to prevent civilian harm.
The ministry added “59 militants … were neutralised”, a term usually used to mean killed in the strikes.
Further, Defence Minister Yasar Guler said that Turkish forces struck 29 targets in northern Iraq and 18 in northern Syria.
The PKK has its headquarters in the Kandil Mountains in northern Iraq.
(With inputs from agencies)
