Türkiye's fight against terrorism to continue with determination: Erdoğan
KAZAN
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the deadly terrorist attack on the facilities of the aerospace and defense company TUSAŞ in Ankara on Oct. 23 during the BRICS meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia's Kazan province.
“I condemn this heinous terrorist attack and wish mercy on our martyrs,” Erdoğan said.
He noted that this “despicable” terror attack actually targeted the country’s “survival, peace and defense initiatives."
“From the first moment of the terrorist attack, our security forces quickly intervened and neutralized the terrorists,” he said, adding, “Our nation should know that the dirty hands reaching out to Türkiye will definitely be broken; no structure, no terrorist organization, no axis of evil targeting our security will be able to achieve their goals.”
“Our fight against all kinds of terrorist threats and their supporters will continue with determination, resolve and in a multi-dimensional manner,” he further emphasized.
The blast occurred as Erdoğan was in the Russian city of Kazan for the BRICS summit.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli condemned the terrorist attack.
“No treacherous and hostile calculation will hold, no bloody and treacherous project will be able to hold against our national unity and brotherhood,” Bahçeli said.
In another message of condemnation, Erdoğan's chief advisor Akif Çağatay Kılıç said: “We will not never and ever allow terrorist organizations to disrupt the unity and solidarity of our country, both inside and outside.”
The country’s Defense Minister Yaşar Güler expressed Ankara’s determination on its fight against terrorism.
“We will not rest until the last terrorist is neutralized, and we will avenge this act and their pain in kind. Everyone will see this,” Güler told reporters.
Following the terrorist attack, the country's Defense Industry Agency President Haluk Görgün and his delegation, as well as the general manager of the TUSAŞ left the SAHA EXPO in Istanbul for Ankara.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, and Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı all condemned the attack.
The attack drew condemnation from several ministers, as well as the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel.
"I condemn the terrorist attack against TUSAŞ facilities in Kahramankazan... I condemn terrorism, no matter who or where it comes from," Özel wrote on X.
NATO chief Mark Rutte also offered the alliance's backing to Türkiye in a call with Erdoğan.
"I just spoke with (President) Erdoğan about the terror attack in Ankara. My message was clear: NATO stands with Türkiye," Rutte wrote on X, using the country's official Turkish name.
Global condemnation follows terrorist attack
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sent a message of condolence to Erdoğan following the terrorist attack.
In the message, Aliyev stated that they were deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries in the attack and said, “I strongly condemn this treacherous act of terrorism, I express my deepest condolences to you, the families and relatives of the victims, and I wish healing to the wounded."
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres strongly condemned the terrorist attack on TUSAŞ.
Expressing his deepest condolences to the victims and their families, Gutteres wished a speedy recovery to the wounded and expressed the United Nations' solidarity with the people and government of Türkiye.
The United States condemns a deadly attack on a Turkish defense firm, the White House said.
"While we don't yet know the motive or who is exactly behind it, we strongly condemn this act of violence," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists.
Pakistani President Asif Zardari expressed solidarity with the government and people of Türkiye, according to an official statement.
“Pakistan stood in full solidarity with the Turkish brothers and sisters in this difficult time. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this cowardly attack, and we pray for the swift recovery of the injured," he added.
“Algeria strongly condemns this terrorist attack that targeted the Turkish Aerospace Industries,” the Algerian presidency said in a statement.
Germany also condemned what it called a "horrific terrorist attack". A foreign ministry spokeswoman described the attack as "deeply shocking" and said Germany condemns "all forms of terrorism in the strongest possible terms".
Somalia's Foreign Ministry expressed statement on “heinous” terrorist attack.
“This cowardly act is not just an attack on Türkiye, but a threat to global peace and security. Somalia, having faced similar challenges, empathizes with Türkiye,” they said in the statement.
