The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has claimed responsibility for the Oct 23 armed attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) headquarters in Ankara, which left seven people dead including the two assailants.
The attack was carried out by an autonomous unit of the "Immortals Battalion,” according to a statement from the People’s Defense Forces (HPG), the military wing of the PKK.
HPG identified the attackers as Mine Sevjin Alçiçek, codenamed Asya Alî, and Ali Örek, codenamed Rojger Hêlîn. This identification aligns with the interior minister’s announcement yesterday.
Peace discussions
HPG stated that the attack was planned in advance and not connected to recent political discussions in Turkey, alluding to talks about a potential new peace process. “This action, planned long ago and executed successfully, has no relation to the current political agenda in Turkey,” HPG said.
In this context, the statement also mentioned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan's first family visit in over four years on Oct 23. They described Öcalan’s message after the visit a positive sign for PKK forces. “The warm message from Rêber Apo, after over four years, is welcomed by all guerrilla forces and is something to be taken seriously,” HPG said, adding that they would assess the message according to future developments. Öcalan had express his willingness to take part in a "democratic solution" of the Kurdish question in light of the recent developments.
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‘A military target’
The group described the TUSAŞ facility as a “military target” due to its role in the development of armed drones, which are widely used in targeting Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq.
The attack also served as a response to the view that the militant group had weakened, and was a message to those who had underestimated their tactical strength, according to the statement.
At around 3.25 pm local time on Oct 23 two militants arrived at the entrance of the TUSAŞ headquarters in the Kahramankazandistrict in a taxi. Security camera footage showed the militants, one of them driving the car, immediately started firing at TUSAŞ personnel who were leaving the agency due to the end of their shift. The militants killed four agency personnel and the driver of the taxi they seized. (VK)