The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Turkey following a deadly terrorist attack.
The incident, which claimed four lives, occurred at a state-run aerospace facility in Kahramankazan, about 40km from Ankara on Wednesday.
Brits near the scene are being advised to follow local authority guidance and keep abreast of media updates. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office issued an alert on its travel advice page: “There has been a terrorist attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries’ facilities in Kahramankazan, 40km northwest of central Ankara, with a number of deaths and casualties reported. The security response is ongoing. If you are in the immediate area follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor local media.”
Kahramankazan is in the north west of the country. It is a long way away from the coast and from Istanbul to the west and Antalya to the south west, where the majority of British holiday makers tend to visit on trips. In itself, it is not a huge destination for tourists.
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Anadolu via Getty Images)
The vast majority of trips to Turkey are undertaken without a hitch and, in the main, the country is a safe and welcoming one. However, it has been hit by a number of high profile terrorist incidents in recent years. In January and February 2024, there were attacks in Turkey that killed one person each.
Yesterday President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the assailants set off explosives and fired shots at TUSAS, leading to four deaths and multiple injuries. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the death of at least two attackers. Erdogan condemned the assault as “heinous”.
According to Turkish media, three attackers – including a woman – arrived at the complex’s entrance in a taxi. Armed with assault weapons, they detonated an explosive device next to the taxi, causing panic and allowing them to infiltrate the complex. Multiple gunshots were heard after Turkish security forces stormed the site, according to DHA news agency and other media outlets. Helicopters were seen hovering above the premises.
TUSAS designs, manufactures and assembles civilian and military aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other defence industry and space systems. These UAVs have been crucial in Turkey gaining an advantage in its battle against Kurdish militants within Turkey and across the border in Iraq.
The FCDO recommends that visitors to Turkey remain aware of their surroundings, particularly in public buildings, places of worship, airports, and large public gatherings. The threat of violence and acts of war is high along the borders with Syria and Iraq. The south-eastern and eastern provinces also see occasional clashes between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist group and Turkish security forces.
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