Maldives’ leader condemns deadly terror attack near Ankara

Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has condemned a deadly attack on the headquarters of Turkey’s aerospace and defense company, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), near the capital Ankara.

The attack on Wednesday killed at least five people and injured 22 others.

President Muizzu, in a message of condolence to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, condemned the deadly attack on behalf of the government and people of Maldives.

In his message, President Muizzu expressed sorrow on learning about the tragic attack.

He conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and loved ones, and prayers for the swift recovery of those injured.

He concluded his message by reaffirming Maldives’ solidarity with the people of Turkey.

Footage from the scene broadcast by local media just after the attack showed huge clouds of smoke and a large fire raging at the TUSAS headquarters in Kahramankazan, a small town some 40 kilometers north of Ankara.

According to local media reports, there was a loud explosion at the site and subsequent gunfire.

Security camera images from the attack, aired by broadcasters, showed a man in plainclothes carrying a backpack and holding an assault rifle. The images also appeared to show a woman carrying a weapon.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that “two terrorists were neutralized” in the incident.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

However, Yerlikaya said it was “probably linked” to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged a decades-long rebellion against the government. Turkey’s air force struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in apparent retaliation for the attack.