Türkiye identifies Ankara aerospace company attackers as PKK members

ANKARA, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) — Turkish authorities said on Thursday they have identified the two assailants — a man and a woman — who carried out Wednesday’s terror attack on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) headquarters in Ankara.
Both attackers have been confirmed as members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
The male attacker was identified as Ali Orek, known by the code name Rojger, and the female attacker as Mine Sevjin Alcicekek, Yerlikaya said on the social media platform X.
The attack, involving automatic rifles and explosives, left five people dead and 22 others injured. According to local broadcaster NTV, eight of the wounded have since been discharged from the hospital.
Following the assault, Türkiye has heightened security measures, particularly at airports.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler confirmed that the military responded by striking 29 PKK targets in northern Iraq and 18 in northern Syria.
The Defense Ministry stated that a total of 59 “terrorists” were “neutralized” in the operations, including two believed to be high-ranking members. Turkish authorities often use the term “neutralized” to indicate that individuals have either been killed, captured, or have surrendered.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades. ■