Ankara Attack: More Than Just Terrorism?

On October 23, 2024, terrorists attacked Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) near Ankara, killing five people and injuring another 22 in the tragic incident. Turkish security forces acted swiftly and neutralized two terrorists involved in the Ankara attack. They endangered their lives in protecting critical national infrastructure.

At first glance, the Ankara attack appears to be a simple act of terrorism. However, complex geopolitics are at play behind it. The incident occurred while President Erdogan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the BRICS summit. It appears to be a calculated move to disrupt Türkiye’s geopolitical efforts and sow instability in the region.

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) stands at the center of these efforts. It has long been associated with external support from Western and Israeli elements. Different Turkish officials have said that the nature of the attack hints at PKK as the main perpetrator.

PKK’s Role and External Support

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned the attack regarding it as a  “heinous terrorist attack”. News sources tell that 15,000 people worked at the TUSAS campus at the time of the attack. Security camera footage showed a man with a backpack and assault rifle, along with a woman carrying a weapon.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya suggested that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK is likely linked to the attack. The PKK is a group that has led a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish government.

Similarly, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler suggested that the PKK could be responsible for the attack. This aligns with the PKK’s history of orchestrating such violent incidents to destabilize the region and target critical infrastructure. Both officials pointed to the group’s militant tactics, reinforcing the likelihood that the PKK was behind this latest assault. 

PKK’s alleged external support and backing from Israel and the West is part of broader efforts to weaken regional stability, challenge Turkish authority, and leverage the PKK as a proxy to achieve foreign policy objectives.

The incident also highlights a tactical similarity with the BLA, which involved a female terrorist. Both the BLA and PKK are regional proxies that utilize unconventional warfare methods, including female combatants, which enhance their operational reach and serve symbolic purposes.

Also See: Terrorism: Bleeding Wound for Regional Connectivity

Connection to Other Regional Proxies

The parallels between the PKK and other proxies like the BLA point to a broader trend in the use of insurgent groups by external powers to destabilize states like Türkiye and Pakistan. Both groups, though operating in different regions, are part of a larger network of non-state actors utilized to promote external agendas. The PKK, with its introduction of female suicide bombers, reflects an evolution in insurgent warfare, drawing inspiration from similar tactics seen in other conflict zones. The attack on critical infrastructure, like TUSAS, mirrors the BLA’s targeting of economic and strategic sites in Pakistan, further underscoring the similarities between these proxy groups.

Turkish Response and Future Implications

In response to the attack near Ankara, the Turkish defence ministry launched airstrikes on PKK targets in northern Iraq and Syria, according to state-run news agency Anadolu. The operation reportedly destroyed 32 terrorist sites, with a significant number of militants “neutralized.” As the complex geopolitics unfold, Turkey has to tactically advance its options for effective conflict management and securing strategic interests.

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