Turkish authorities announce identities of victims of terrorist attack in capital

By Mehmet Tosun

Authorities in Türkiye announced the identities of the victims a terrorist attack Wednesday on the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in the capital.

Cengiz Coskun, a quality control officer at the company, mechanical engineer Zahide Guclu, TAI employee Hasan Huseyin Canbaz, security guard Atakan Sahin Erdogan and taxi driver Murat Arslan were killed in the attack.

Twenty-two people were wounded and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Guclu was on her way to the entrance of the compound to receive flowers sent by her husband when the attack took place.

The terrorists killed Arslan and hid his body in the trunk of his taxi after getting into the vehicle at a taxi station.

An explosion and gunshots were heard Wednesday at TAI's facilities in Ankara's Kahramankazan district.

Two terrorists who attacked the facilities were "neutralized," while five people were killed and 22 injured, said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the attack.

"I condemn this heinous attack on facilities of the Turkish Aerospace Industries,” he said.

Security forces, firefighters and paramedics were dispatched to the area, while TAI's personnel were directed to shelters for security reasons.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation.

*Writing by Merve Berker