Turkey Blast Live Updates: Bus Carrying Turkish Soldiers Hit By Explosion, Casualties Reported

UPDATE: 3:10 a.m. EDT — An explosion Saturday in the central Turkish city of Kayseri killed 13 soldiers and injured 48 people, the Turkish army said, according to Agence France-Presse.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş said the blast outside Erciyes University resembled the attack outside a soccer stadium in Istanbul last Saturday.

UPDATE: 2:54 a.m. EST — Saturday’s blast in the central Turkish city of Kayseri has injured over 25 people, reports said citing local hospital officials. The death toll remains unclear, with several reports saying multiple people have been killed in the blast.

Original story:

A car explosion hit a bus carrying Turkish soldiers Saturday near a university in the central Turkish city of Kayseri, according to reports. An unknown number of people have been killed and injured in the incident.

The blast occurred outside Erciyes University in Kayseri. The explosion hit the bus as it drove past the car believed to be filled with explosives, Turkish media reported. Medical emergency personnel and ambulances were dispatched to the area, according to reports.

Hurriyet Daily News reported that the country’s media watchdog Radio and Television Supreme Council issued a gag order on reporting the blast, which comes a week after twin bombings outside a soccer stadium in Istanbul killed over 40 people and injured more than 100. Kurdish fighters claimed responsibility for the Istanbul attack.

Kayseri is one of the major cities and an important industrial hub in central Turkey, and is generally a peaceful place. Saturday’s blast comes at a time of ongoing tensions between the government and members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party that is outlawed in Turkey. The southeastern part of the country is the most affected by the tensions. Kurdish fighters have claimed several explosions in Turkey, leave dozens dead across the country.

Ankara is also fighting the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS. Turkish officials have blamed the militant group for some recent explosions in the country, including one at a Kurdish wedding in Gaziantep city.

In July, Turkey also witnessed a failed military coup attempt, in which a faction of rebel military officers attacked government buildings, killing 240 people, mostly civilians. The government blamed the attempt on U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen and his supporters. More than 100,000 military officials and public servants, including judges, police, teachers and soldiers have been suspended or fired following the incident.

This is a developing story.