UPDATE - Blast in southeast Turkey

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR, MINOR EDITS

By Rauf Maltas and Halil Fidan

SANLIURFA, Turkey (AA) - A car bomb exploded near a state hospital in southeastern Sanliurfa province on Friday, according to a security source.

The incident took place in the province's Suruc district, the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, told Anadolu Agency.

According to preliminary reports, an assailant was killed in the blast.

Sanliurfa Governor Gungor Azim told Anadolu Agency that intensive security measures had been taken in the region, adding an operation had been launched against "the collaborators of the [PKK] terrorist organization".