The Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), situated on the outskirts of Ankara, became the target of a terrorist attack on Oct. 23, 2024. The attack happened around 3:30 p.m. local time when a blast was heard, followed by gunshots at the facility. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, five people, including four TAI employees and a taxi driver, were killed, while 22 others sustained injuries. The attack was condemned by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan while he was away in Kazan to attend the 16th BRICS summit in Russia.
A prime motive for the PKK attack might be to damage Türkiye’s reputation as a prominent arms exporter, which could also hurt its economy. The attack was launched on Türkiye’s military industry at a time when the “International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition” was going on in Istanbul, which reflected the PKK’s intentions to harm the country’s defense exports.
According to the Stockholm International Research Institute (SIPRI) statistical data on arms transfers, Türkiye is a major arms exporter. It is the 11th largest exporter of military equipment in the world. Firms like Aselsan, Roketsan and TAI have a prominent role in not only strengthening the country’s defense but also generating substantial economic benefits. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are among the main buyers of Turkish military equipment. They have signed agreements and invested heavily in the Turkish defense industry.
Türkiye’s involvement in BRICS will possibly strengthen its regional position. The country seeks to diversify its alliances and reduce dependency on Western institutions, particularly NATO and the European Union. This geostrategic shift may also attract targeted disruptions. Notably, it was not the first time that the PKK launched an attack on Türkiye while the country’s president was attending a foreign summit. For instance, in November 2022, prior to Erdoğan’s departure for the G-20 summit in Indonesia, a PKK terrorist detonated a bomb on a pedestrian street in the heart of Istanbul, killing six people and injuring dozens.
Thus, BRICS membership is attractive for several reasons, offering a platform for emerging economies to collaborate on financial, economic and political initiatives. Most importantly, BRICS membership will strengthen Türkiye’s standing as a regional power, which could possibly support its counter-PKK efforts. Therefore, the recent attack can be attributed to an attention-seeking endeavor by the PKK aimed at raising its voice and signifying its presence globally while at the same time challenging the writ of the Turkish government.
For instance, Türkiye can seek support from BRICS members to increase cooperation on intelligence sharing, cybersecurity and regional security measures to counter the PKK’s influence. Moreover, improved economic relations with BRICS states can provide Türkiye with additional resources to fund development projects in southeastern Türkiye, where the PKK is most active. Development in this region could improve local economic conditions and reduce the appeal of PKK recruitment.
The PKK is blacklisted as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the United Kingdom. Officials in Türkiye blamed the PKK and said that the perpetrators infiltrated from Syria. The PKK has a long history of carrying out violent attacks in the country as an armed separatist group that seeks to carve out a state named “Kurdistan” for the ethnic Kurds in southeastern Anatolia. Since 2015, after the peace agreement between Türkiye and PKK broke off, the intensity and frequency of attacks by the latter has increased significantly, compelling Türkiye to retaliate by air strikes and other military means.
Moreover, while speaking to the journalists in Kazan, President Erdoğan accused the U.S. of supporting terrorism in the region, remarking, "It is now a known fact that the U.S. uses terrorist organizations in the region for its own interests and the security of Israel." The attack on TAI by the PKK on Wednesday, Oct. 23, has created a challenging environment for Türkiye. The timing and location of the TAI attack were crucial in understanding its motive.
Three reasons can be considered that might have motivated the PKK to carry out such an attack. Firstly, the attack can be attributed to the PKK’s aim of raising its voice and signifying its global presence. Secondly, targeting the Turkish military industry could have been done in part to affect the country's arms exports. Lastly, the growing ties between Türkiye and Russia might have compelled the U.S. to use its proxy to warn Türkiye of the grave consequences it might face if it alienated with the anti-Western block.
However, Türkiye's membership in BRICS may significantly enhance its regional power and provide avenues to address some aspects of the PKK problem by gaining new economic and strategic allies. Türkiye’s BRICS membership may significantly enhance its regional power and provide avenues to address some aspects of the PKK problem. By gaining new economic and strategic allies, Türkiye could gain support in its ongoing struggle against the PKK.
