[4] In retaliation, the Turkish military conducted airstrikes on positions in Iraq and Syria, which killed at least 12 civilians and wounded 25 more according to the Syrian Democratic Forces.

[6] The incident happened as a major trade fair for the defense and aerospace industries was being held in Istanbul, which had received a visit from Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha the week before.

[8] On 23 October 2024, at around 3:26 p.m. (TRT), the attack coincided with the shift change of approximately 7,500 employees at the Space Systems, Integration and Test Center at the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries in Kahramankazan, Ankara, Turkey.

In a separate video verified by CNN, CCTV footage shows attackers wearing plainclothes carrying a backpack and holding an assault rifle.

[10] According to the Turkish government, the perpetrators of the attack were members of the PKK, a group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States.

[15] Ebubekir Şahin, Chairman of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), announced that a broadcasting ban was imposed on the attack.

[14] In response to the strikes, the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is dominated by the People's Defense Units (YPG) claimed by Turkey to be an offshoot of the PKK, said that it had launched an internal investigation and denied it had any involvement in the initial attack.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched a "judicial investigation" into the incident.

[14] The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) condemned the attack[2] while noting that it occurred "just as Turkish society was talking about a solution and the possibility of dialogue", in reference to Devlet Bahçeli's offer of parole to the PKK's Abdullah Öcalan the previous day.