Turkish leading aerospace manufacturer mourns employees killed in terror attack PHOTO / VIDEO 

The Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) is mourning its employees killed during the recent terrorist attack in Ankara. 

"The pain of our dear colleagues, namely, security guard Atakan Şahin Erdoğan, quality control staff member Cengiz Coşkun, chief mechanical engineer Zahide Güçlü Ekici, employee Hasan Hüseyin Canbaz, and taxi driver Murat Arslan remains in our hearts. We will continue working for the benefit of our country," Caliber.Az reports, citing a heartfelt message of TUSAŞ shared on X.

TUSAŞ ailesi olarak tarifsiz bir üzüntü içindeyiz.

Kaybettiğimiz değerli çalışma arkadaşlarımız Atakan Şahin Erdoğan, Cengiz Coşkun, Zahide Güçlü Ekici, Hasan Hüseyin Cambaz ve taksi şoförü Murat Arslan’ın acısı yüreğimizde.

Onların aziz hatıralarıyla, ülkemiz için azimle… pic.twitter.com/1Wio1BcYNt

— Türk Havacılık Uzay Sanayii (@TUSAS_TR) October 24, 2024

"May Allah grant mercy to our martyrs, and we extend our condolences to their families and relatives," the message said.

Biriz, binleriz! 🇹🇷

Savunma sanayiimizin öncü kurumlarından milletimizin gözbebeği TUSAŞ’a yönelik gerçekleştirilen ve tam bağımsızlığımızı hedef alan hain saldırıyı bir kez daha lanetliyoruz.

Vatanımızın savunması için çalışırken şehit olan tüm kahramanlarımıza Allahtan… pic.twitter.com/rD1rVgfPov

— SSB (@SavunmaSanayii) October 24, 2024

"We would like to especially highlight engineer Zahide Güçlü, who was just 37 years old. In the last years of her life, she endured one heartache after another. At the end of 2020, she suffered the loss of her mother, and in 2021, she was devastated by the diagnosis of leukemia for her six-year-old daughter. After two years of treatment in the hospital, her daughter had recently started to recover and had just returned home. Zahide Güçlü Ekici was actively involved in the production of the GÖKBEY multipurpose helicopter developed at TUSAŞ," the message said. 

According to the message, she also engaged in charitable work, frequently reaching out to help children with cancer.

She was injured during the terrorist attack on her way to pick up flowers sent by her husband for their wedding anniversary and later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital. 

Two attackers killed five people and injured 22 in a terrorist assault on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) headquarters near Ankara on October 23. 

The attack, marked by gunfire and explosions, left two of the injured in critical condition, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who confirmed both assailants were neutralised. Yerlikaya linked the attack to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), describing the style as characteristic of PKK tactics. An investigation is underway, and further details are expected after confirmation of the attackers' identities. 

Following the attack, Turkish air forces launched retaliatory airstrikes on PKK targets in northern Iraq and Syria, destroying 32 sites and reportedly killing many members of the group, according to the Turkish Ministry of Defence. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, attending a BRICS summit in Russia, condemned the attack, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte offering condolences. NATO, the US, and the EU also condemned the assault. 

TUSAŞ, Türkiye's largest aerospace manufacturer, produces military and civilian helicopters and is developing the country's first indigenous fighter jet, KAAN. The company employs over 10,000 people and is owned by the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation and the government.

By Naila Huseynova