A bomb exploded as a shuttle bus carrying police officers was passing by in the southern Turkish province of Mersin on Tuesday, wounding a dozen officers, officials said.

The blast occurred at 5:20 p.m at the Okan Merzeci Boulevard in Mersin's Yenişehir District.

According to reports, 17 officers and a civilian were wounded in the attack. Three prosecutors have also been assigned to the case.

Several police officers, ambulances and firefighters were sent to the scene.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, but the PKK terror group is known for carrying out remote-controlled bomb attacks,especially car bombs and explosives planted on roads.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.

Founded in 1978, the terrorist group resumed its decades-long armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, more than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians, have lost their lives, while the terrorist group has lost some 10,000 militants, who were either killed or apprehended in anti-terror operations by the Turkish security forces.