Turkey wedding blast: 22 victims killed in Gaziantep were under the age of 14

Around 22 of the 51 victims killed in a bomb blast at a wedding party on Saturday in the south-eastern Turkish city of Gaziantep, were under the age of 14, a government official told news agency Reuters on Monday.

The official also added that the death toll of 51 did not include the suicide bomber. A damaged suicide vest was also found at the scene of the bombing, which is being dubbed as the deadliest attack on Turkey this year.

The attack was reportedly carried out by a child aged 12-14, President Erdogan said on Sunday, adding that the initial evidence indicated that it was mounted by Islamic State (Isis).

"It was clear that Daesh had such an organisation in Gaziantep or was attempting to make room for itself in recent times. Many intensive operations were conducted, are being conducted. Of course our security forces will be conducting these operations with even greater intensity."

People at the party were dancing when the blast ripped through the celebration on Saturday. Burns and bloodstains could be seen on the walls of the lane where the blast went off. A 25-year-old witness, Veli can, said: "The celebrations were coming to an end and there was a big explosion among people dancing. There was blood and body parts everywhere." Fourty four of the 51 victims have been identified so far, Dogan news agency reported. According to witnesses, a three-month-old baby was among the dead.

In June, three suspected IS (Daesh) bombers killed 44 people at Istanbul's main airport, which was then dubbed as the deadliest attack in Turkey. Last year in October, at least 95 people were killed by suicide bombers, while attending a pro-Kurdish and labour activist rally outside Ankara's main train station.