Jakarta was rocked by a series of explosions andgunfire on Thursday
Jakarta was rocked by a series of explosions andgunfire on Thursday that police said had killed atleast four people, in what the Indonesian president described as an “act of terror”.
Unconfirmed reports estimate that as many as seven explosions hit the Indonesian capital, withpolice involved in a shootout with suspects in downtown Jakarta.
President Joko Widodo told local TV:“We condemn acts that spread terror and disturbingpeace. We shouldn’t be afraid, we shouldn’t be defeated by this act of terror.”
The first bombing was reported outside the popular Sarinah shopping mall in central Jakartaalong Thamrin Street, the capital’s main artery lined with the offices of multinational businessesand top-end hotels, a stone’s throw from the French embassy. The Istana Negara presidentialpalace is about 2kms away.
Eyewitness said the explosion was followed by gunfire near a Starbucks coffee shop near theshopping centre.
“The police are still trying to secure the area — the police bomb squad, the Detachment 88[aspecial forces unit] and police are sweeping the building,” Anton Charliyan, national policespokesperson told Metro TV.
Mr Charliyan added that five or six attackers are thought to be behind the attack and the searchwas on for the suspects.
Other unconfirmed reports of attacks elsewhere in the city included an explosion at the busyarea of Kuningan.