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Turkey attack latest: Turkey strikes Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria after five killed in Ankara attack

Five people have been killed in an apparent terror attack in Turkey at the headquarters of a defence and aerospace company. Turkey has blamed Kurdish militant group the PKK for the attack and has launched strikes on its sites in Syria and Iraq.

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Suspected gunmen enter Turkish defence company
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That's it for our live coverage today - thanks for following along with Sky News.

What happened today?

This afternoon, armed gunmen set off an explosion and fired shots in an attack on a Turkish defence company building on the outskirts of the capital, Ankara.

Five people have been confirmed dead, according to officials, with a further 22 injured.

Watch: Suspected gunmen enter Turkish defence company

Here are the names and occupations of the five people killed, according to Turkey's state run news agency:

  • Quality control employee Cengiz Coskun;
  • Mechanical engineer Zahide Guclu;
  • Employee Hasan Huseyin Canbaz;
  • Security personnel Atakan Sahin Erdogan;
  • Taxi driver Murat Arslan.

In addition to the five killed, two of the attackers - apparently one male and one female - were "neutralised" by police, according to ministers, but it's not clear if anyone else was involved.

No group has claimed responsibility, but senior Turkish ministers have suggested it's "highly likely" that Kurdish militant group PKK was behind the attack.

In retaliation, Turkish jets have struck several targets in northern Syria and northern Iraq it says are operated by the PKK, with "many" militants killed as a result.

The full scale of the strikes are not yet clear. 

Starmer 'appalled' by Ankara attack

Some more reaction to the apparent terror attack in the Turkish capital to bring you now - this time from the UK's prime minister. 

Writing on X, Sir Keir Starmer said...

He made no mention of the retaliatory strikes carried out by Turkey against PKK targets in parts of Syria and Iraq. 

PKK has not claimed responsibility for the attack in Ankara today. 

Greek PM denounces Ankara attack

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has denounced the attack in Ankara earlier today. 

"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the victims," he wrote on X. 

Greece and Turkey have endured a strained relationship in recent years, with frequent territorial rows, issues over immigration and clashes in Cyprus often bringing rising tensions.

But in recent months efforts have been made to improve ties between the countries, with Greek rescuers among the first foreign teams to reach Turkey after a devastating earthquake in February 2023 - with a widely heralded diplomatic visit from President Erdogan to Athens following later in the year.  

Turkish defence ministry confirms strikes on PKK targets

The Turkish defence ministry says its jets have conducted airstrikes in northern Iraq and northern Syria against "terrorist targets".

This comes after suspected Kurdish militants belonging to the PKK group set off explosives and opened fire at Turkey's state-run defence company TUSAS, in an attack that killed five people.

In total, 32 targets were struck, the ministry said, adding that "many" PKK members were killed.

The ministry also said aerial operations were "continuing".

Senior Turkish ministers have pointed the finger at the Kurdish militant group for carrying out the attack in Ankara today - but PKK, nor any other group, has claimed responsibility as of yet. 

For context: The Kurdistan Workers' Party (also known as PKK) has been fighting for autonomy in southeast Turkey since the 1980s - with tens of thousands dying in that time. 

PKK is considered a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies. 

Turkey striking PKK targets in Iraq and Syria - sources

Turkey's military is striking PKK targets in northern Iraq and in Syria following today's attack in Ankara, security sources have told the Reuters news agency. 

The Turkish military is yet to comment.  

No group has claimed responsibility for today's apparent terror attack on a defence firm in the Turkish capital, but senior government officials in Ankara have pointed the finger at the Kurdish militant group PKK. 

More details on victims emerge

Turkish news agencies are reporting more details about the victims in today's attack. 

State-run Anadolu news agency says the killed are: 

  • Quality control employee Cengiz Coskun;
  • Mechanical engineer Zahide Guclu;
  • Employee Hasan Huseyin Canbaz;
  • Security personnel Atakan Sahin Erdogan;
  • Taxi driver Murat Arslan.

The agency says Zahide Gu莽lu was at the entrance of the site - picking up flowers sent by her husband - when she was killed in the attack.

The taxi driver was killed in his vehicle, with his body hidden between the front and back seats, the agency says. 

Minister issues update on injured

A short time time ago, we received an update from interior minister Ali Yerlikaya on the status of those injured in today's apparent terror attack.

Of the 22 people hurt, only one remains in critical condition, he said, adding that three had already been discharged from hospital. 

He added that seven of the people injured were members of the special operations squad from the Turkish police - who are all doing "fine". 

What's happened so far?

It's 8.50pm in the UK and 10.50pm in Turkey, so let's revisit what we know about today's events:

  • This afternoon, armed gunmen set off an explosion and fired shots in an attack on a Turkish defence company building on the outskirts of the capital, Ankara;
  • Five people have been confirmed dead, according to officials, with a further 22 injured; 
  • One of those killed was a taxi driver, the Turkish vice president said;
  • In addition to the five killed, two of the attackers - apparently one male and one female - were "neutralised" by police, according to ministers, but it's not clear if anyone else was involved; 
  • It's also not yet clear who was behind the attack, with no group claiming responsibility;
  • But senior Turkish ministers have suggested it's "highly likely" that Kurdish militant group PKK could be behind it - although investigations continue; 
  • Sky News has verified these image showing two of the suspected attackers entering the TUSAS building:

We've also got footage from the scene - from inside the building via CCTV and outside via user generated content (UGC)...

Watch:  Gunshots heard as attack unfolds

Watch:  Suspected gunmen enter building

If you want more details, you can scroll back through this blog or get the full story here.

Stay with us for more live updates. 

Watch: Gunmen enter defence building

This video shows the moment the suspected perpetrators behind today's attack at a defence company in Ankara stormed the building. 

At least five people were killed in the attack, with scores injured. 

Taxi driver among dead - vice president

Turkey's vice president says a taxi driver was among those killed in today's apparent terror attack. 

VP Cevdet Yilmaz did not share any further details on how the taxi driver died. 

Local reports earlier suggested that a taxi had pulled up outside the TUSAS building in Ankara carrying the assailants before they set off an explosion and began shooting.