JAKARTA: Indonesia’s capital city was rocked by a series of blasts today, which left at least three dead.
The scene of the terror attack was the Sarinah mall in the upmarket Thamrin district.
According to an AFP report, at least six blasts were heard. At least three casualties were seen lying on the street, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Gunfire was ringing out in the area afterwards, the journalist said.
Sources claim that the blasts were the work of suicide bombers.
Indonesia’s Metro TV quoted police as saying that 10 to 14 gunmen were involved.
Initial information suggests that the target was a police station in the area.
Information is still sketchy, with some sources claiming that the three casualties were policemen, while others said the deceased were the bombers themselves.
Sources say that the police are currently involved in a pursuit with several suspects.
Rahel Aryani, a Jakarta-based film producer, told NST that she heard explosions from a distance as she was heading home from nearby the area.
She said chaos broke out, with pedestrians running for cover amidst the confusion.
“A friend who was at the Sarinah Thamrin mall called me and said there was an explosion there and it was a terrorist attack.”
A Jakarta police source told NST that the first blast, which happened at 10.40am (Jakarta time) struck a Starbucks outlet in the mall.
The second blast, said the source, occurred at 10.53am (Jakarta time) and hit a police post.
Offices in the area are being evacuated, said police.
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