Story highlights Turkish state media report 15 people arrested

The explosion occurred in central Turkey near bus carrying soliders

(CNN) A car bomb exploded near a public bus in Turkey on Saturday, killing 13 soldiers and wounding 55 people, according to Turkish officials.

Authorities later arrested 15 people, the country's Anadolu state news agency reported, citing prosecutors.

Civilians may have also been wounded in the blast, according to the Turkish Armed Forces. Of the injured, six people are in critical condition, said Turkey's Health Minister Recep Akdag.

A vehicle rigged with a bomb exploded next to the bus -- which was transporting off-duty soldiers, Anadolu reported. The blast happened near Erciyes University in the central province of Kayseri, according to a tweet from Anadolu.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım are being briefed on the situation, according to the news agency.

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