At least 13 soldiers have been killed and 56 wounded in a car bomb attack on a bus carrying off-duty troops in Turkey.

The Turkish authorities imposed a temporary news blackout following the explosion in the central city of Kayseri, which also injured civilians.

Image: Ankara has blamed 'treacherous factions' for the outrage

Images from the scene showed the smouldering wreck of the bus.

The personnel had been going on a weekend shopping trip to the local market when a vehicle packed with explosives detonated as the bus went by.

Four of those hurt are described as being in a critical condition.


Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the identity of the Kayseri attacker was known and that seven people had been arrested in connection with the attack.

Police are searching for five others.

The country's deputy prime minister Veysi Kaynak blamed "treacherous factions" for the outrage, which he said had targeted commandos from the Kayseri Airforce Brigade.

Image: The attack comes a week after the deadly bombings in Istanbul

Mr Kaynak said the attack was "unfortunately similar" to last week's twin bombing outside a football stadium in Istanbul, which killed more than 40 people and wounded more than 100.

That attack, claimed by Kurdish militants, led President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to vow Ankara would "fight the scourge of terrorism right to the end".

"They should know that they will not get away with it...They will pay a heavier price," he said.

Following the Kayseri explosion, the government urged the media to refrain from publishing anything that may cause "fear in the public, panic and disorder and which may serve the aims of terrorist organisations".