Consecutive explosions and gu nfire took place in the heart of Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta in the morning of January 14, leaving at least seven people dead, including four suspected terrorists.
Police officers are mobilised in response to the explosions and gunfire (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Consecutive 𒁏explosions and gunfire took place in the heart of Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta in the morning of January 14, leaving at least seven people dead, including four suspected terrorists.
According to international news agencies, on-scene footage has shown an unidentified group triggering six blasts in front of a shopping centre called the Sarinah, and a nearby police post.
Local broadcaster MetroTV said after these bombs went off, there were at least 14 gunmen engaging in a shootout with police.
The attack scene is close to a cluster of embassies, luxury hotels and the United Nations offices. AP cited a UN representative Jeremy Douglas’s tweets as saying there was a blast and exchanges of gunfire on the street outside his Jakarta office.
TVOne, a local television network, reported at least three other explosions happened in the neighbouring districts of Cikni, Silpi and Kuningan, which are near Turkish and Pakistani embassies.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who was on a working visit to the West Java town of Cirebon at the time of the attack, condemned the bombings, calling them “acts of terror” in comments broadcast by MetroTV.
The president urged his people not to be afraid, and ordered police to begin a manhunt for the attackers and their related network.
The US Embassy in Jakarta has urgently warned US citizens to stay away from the area around the Sarinah shopping centre.-VNA
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Police officers are mobilised in response to the explosions and gunfire (Photo: VNA)
