An armed man took staff hostage at a Procter & Gamble factory in northwestern Turkey on Thursday in an apparent protest against Israel's war in Gaza, the Demiroren News Agency reported.
The unidentified man entered the factory in Gebze industrial zone in Kocaeli province around 3:00 p.m., Demiroren said, adding that police rushed to the scene and were trying to persuade him to give himself up.
Seven people were believed to have been taken hostage - six men and one woman - Demiroren said, adding that there was a second unidentified hostage-taker.
The Kocaeli governor arrived at the scene and was briefed by police, it added. Turkish authorities have not issued any statement on the incident.
Suspect seen wearing potential explosive device
A photo released by local media showed a man inside the factory whose face was covered with a Palestinian scarf and who was wearing what looked possibly like an explosive device.
Reports in Turkey: An armed man took at least 7 hostages at an American company's factory “in protest of Gaza”Pro Palestinians are the weirdest Nazis in the world. pic.twitter.com/TbcWgjccp2
— Adam Albilya - אדם אלביליה (@AdamAlbilya) February 1, 2024
Another photo from the scene showed the man holding a gun in one hand and making a 'V' sign with his other hand in front of a wall on which Turkish and Palestinian flags were painted with a script that reads: "Gates will open. Either coffin rest or death for Gaza."
This is a developing story.