Two of the suspects had been wearing suicide vests ready to explode, the local governor's office said in a statement, adding that they were arrested before reaching the city centre.

Authorities declined to say which group the five detained individuals claimed to belong to.

Long accused of turning a blind eye to jihadist activity along its southern border, Turkey has joined the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria and beefed up its border security.

Turkey has been hit by a number of attacks in recent years blamed on IS and Kurdish militants.