Click to see full-size image. Source: Sputnik via Telegram.
On June 10 morning, a large blast rocked a rocket and explosives factory located in the outskirts of the Turkish capital, Ankara.
In a statement, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said that five workers were killed in the blast. An investigation was launched into the cause of the blast, according to the ministry.
The factory, which belongs to the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKEK), is located near the town of Elmadag, some 25 kilometers to the east of Ankara. The blast caused a fire at the factory. Shop and house windows in surrounding areas were also shattered by the force of the blast. Several ambulances and fire trucks were dispatched to the area.
The state-owned MKEK was established in 1950. The cooperation produces equipment for the Turkish military, such as the ammunition for small arms and heavy weapons, artillery systems, aerial bombs, mines, explosives and rockets. It also manufactures civil-purpose products such as steel, brass, and electrical parts and equipment.
The MKEK large range of defense industry products are not only demanded in Turkey, but are exported to more than 40 countries worldwide.
The deadly blast at Elmadag was likely accidental. However, the possibility of sabotage can’t be rolled out, especially by Kurdish insurgents who carried out similar acts in the past.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
