BAGHDAD / ANKARA 

At least seven civilians were killed in a car bomb explosion Tuesday in the southern Iraqi province of Basra, a local security official said.

The explosion took place near a hospital in the city center, the official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Neighboring Turkey quickly issued a statement condemning the "heinous act of terrorism," also extending its condolences for those who lost their lives and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.

"Regardless of its source, Turkey will continue to stand by the Iraqi people and government in its fight against terrorism," said a Foreign Ministry statement.

The oil-rich Basra province is relatively calm compared to the country’s northern and western provinces, where the terror group Daesh/ISIS still maintains sleeper cells.