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Jakarta attacks: Explosions and gunfire rock capital
7:35 CAT | 14 Jan 2016
Reuters / An Indonesian policeman runs near the site of a blast in Jakarta.
At least four people have been killed in a series of explosions in central Jakarta, police told Al Jazeera, as gunfire rang out of the capital’s downtown area.
An unknown number of people were injured in the ongoing attacks at the Sarinah shopping centre near the presidential palace in the centre of the capital.
Three of the dead were believed to be policemen, police told Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen, reporting from Jakarta, said a police post was destroyed in a grenade blast and that a gun battle was ongoing in the downtown area of the capital.
“About 10 to 15 gunmen on motorbikes entered the downtown area carrying long rifles, shooting into the crowd, with some carrying explosives” Vaessen said.
“It is believed that several gunmen are currently hiding in the Jakarta Theatre, a cinema near the affected area. A lot people are believed to be still inside. Police has the building surrounded.”
“The attacks have caused a lot of panic and the area has been locked down by police,” Vaessen said.
“The police are still investigating so we don’t know how and why the attack happened. There were at least six explosions, and so far it looks like the police was the target.”
A witness told Al Jazeera that one of the gunman shot a police officer from close range.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, however, police have confirmed to Al Jazeera that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group has made specific threats towards targets in Indonesia recently.
Source: Al Jazeera
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