Turkey has launched a series of retaliatory airstrikes on Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following a deadly attack on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) facility near Ankara, a state-run defense company that designs military aircraft and drones. The strikes, which began Wednesday, come after two assailants, allegedly affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), carried out an assault on the TUSAS facility, killing five people and wounding more than 20.
The Turkish Ministry of National Defence confirmed that 47 targets were destroyed in the offensive, with 29 located in northern Iraq and 18 in northern Syria. The strikes targeted military, energy, and infrastructure facilities used by the PKK and affiliated Syrian Kurdish militias. Defense Minister Yasar Guler stated that the strikes are part of Turkey's ongoing effort to "eliminate the evil forces" that threaten the nation's security, reinforcing the country's long-standing campaign against Kurdish militants.
The attack on TUSAS has sparked widespread shock in Turkey. The assailants, identified as a man and a woman, commandeered a taxi, killed the driver, and used explosives and firearms to breach the defense company's headquarters near Ankara. Both attackers were killed by Turkish security forces, but not before they inflicted significant damage, killing security personnel and engineers on-site. While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, Turkish authorities quickly attributed it to the PKK.
The PKK, which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since the 1980s, is recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, including the United States and the European Union. The group has long sought greater autonomy for the Kurdish population in southeastern Turkey, and the conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths over several decades.
Turkey's airstrikes have also impacted civilian areas in northern Syria, according to reports from the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which confirmed the deaths of 12 civilians, including children, and injuries to 25 others. The SDF, primarily composed of Kurdish fighters, controls parts of northern and eastern Syria and has been a crucial ally to the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against ISIS. However, Turkey views the SDF as closely linked to the PKK and has consistently targeted its forces in Syria.
The timing of the attack on TUSAS comes amid renewed discussions within Turkey regarding the future of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), recently raised the possibility of granting parole to Ocalan if he renounces violence and agrees to disband the PKK. However, the attack on the defense facility has cast doubt on any immediate potential for peace talks, with Turkish officials vowing to continue their military operations until the last terrorist is eliminated.
The PKK's insurgency has led to frequent military confrontations between Turkish forces and Kurdish fighters, particularly in the mountainous regions of Iraq, where the group has established a long-standing presence. In recent years, Turkey has intensified its use of drones and airstrikes in these areas, targeting PKK hideouts as part of its broader campaign to neutralize what it considers a major security threat.
The TUSAS facility plays a significant role in Turkey's defense capabilities, particularly in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which have been instrumental in Turkey's fight against the PKK and other Kurdish groups. The company's drones have also been deployed in conflicts in Libya, Syria, and the Nagorno-Karabakh region, bolstering Turkey's military reach.
Despite ongoing military efforts, the attack has renewed questions about the future of the conflict and whether there is still a path to peace. Some observers had hoped that recent political dialogue could pave the way for a resolution to the decades-long conflict, but the TUSAS attack underscores the deep divisions that remain.
