Masked gunmen killed 45 people and wounded 6 others in an armed attack on a wedding party in Turkey's southeastern on Monday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported on Tuesday.

An ambulance rushes to the site of a wedding attack in southeast Turkey, May 4, 2009. At least 45 people were killed in a brutal armed attack on a wedding party in southeast Turkey on Monday, hospital officials said. [Anadolu/Xinhua]

A group of assailants armed with automatic rifles attacked a wedding party in Bilge village of Mazidagi town of Mardin province Monday evening, killing 45 people including the bride and the groom, officials were quoted as saying.

Local sources also said that the attack might have taken place due to a feud between two families from the village.

Turkish Interior Minister Besir Atalay said that he strongly condemned the attack which killed numerous innocent citizens.

A injured villager is carried onto an ambulance at the Bilge village near the city of Mardin, southeast Turkey, May 4, 2009. At least 45 people were killed in a brutal armed attack on a wedding party in southeast Turkey on Monday, hospital officials said. [Anadolu/Xinhua]

Atalay said that local authorities and security forces immediately proceeded to the village right after the incident.

"The initial information shows that the attack has no link to terrorism," said Atalay, adding that Turkish authorities were currently carrying out a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

A child cries near the site of a wedding attack at the Bilge village near the city of Mardin, southeast Turkey, May 4, 2009. At least 45 people were killed in a brutal armed attack on a wedding party in southeast Turkey on Monday, hospital officials said. [Anadolu/Xinhua]

(Xinhua News Agency May 5, 2009)