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In a demonstration of its resolve against terrorism, Turkey launched a series of airstrikes on Kurdish militant positions in Iraq and Syria. This retaliatory action unfolded just hours after a terrorist attack in Ankara that claimed five lives and injured over 20 others. The assault took place at Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSAS), a key state-run defense company located on the outskirts of the capital.

The Turkish defense ministry reported that more than 30 targets were "destroyed" in the concerted aerial offensive, although specific details regarding the locations of these targets were not disclosed. The ministry asserted that all necessary precautions were taken to minimize civilian casualties during the operation.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that the militant group Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was believed to be behind the Ankara attack, which involved two assailants—one male and one female—who set off explosives and opened fire at the TUSAS facility. Both attackers were killed in the incident. At least 22 people, including seven security personnel, sustained injuries during the attack.

Defense Minister Yasar Guler expressed strong condemnation of the PKK, vowing, "We give these PKK scoundrels the punishment they deserve every time. But they never come to their senses. We will pursue them until the last terrorist is eliminated." Regular airstrikes against PKK strongholds in Iraq and their affiliated Kurdish militia groups in Syria have been a consistent part of Turkey's approach to countering these militants.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a BRICS meeting in Russia, also condemned the attack. Meanwhile, President Putin, along with a U.S. Embassy statement, extended condolences and condemned the terrorist act.

Turkish media reports revealed additional troubling details about the attack. The two assailants arrived at the TUSAS complex in a taxi, detonating an explosive device near the vehicle to gain entry amid ensuing chaos. Among the victims was Zahide Guclu, a mechanical engineer who had gone to the entrance to receive flowers from her husband. The taxi driver was also killed, his body found in the trunk of the car.

The defense company TUSAS plays a pivotal role in Turkey's defense sector, designing and manufacturing a range of advanced defense and space systems. The company's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been notably effective in Turkey's extended fight against Kurdish militants.

The attack followed shortly after a call by the leader of Turkey's far-right nationalist party, allied with President Erdogan, to consider parole for the PKK's imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, if he renounces violence and disbands his organization. The PKK has been engaged in an armed struggle for autonomy in southeastern Turkey since the 1980s, a conflict that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.

Turkey's pro-Kurdish political party condemned the TUSAS attack, highlighting that it occurred amidst emerging possibilities for dialogue to resolve the long-standing conflict.

As the investigation and response continue, the attack has drawn widespread international condemnation. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and the Iraqi Embassy in Ankara all expressed their solidarity with Turkey, denouncing terrorism in all its forms.