Six people were killed and ten injured in the bomb blasts and shootout that occurred in a Starbucks Coffee shop and near the Sarinah department store located at Thamrin Boulevard, Central Jakarta, on Thursday morning.

"Based on the results of the overall identification, there are 16 victims in the incident," Deputy Police Chief Commissioner General Budi Gunawan stated while visiting the scene near the Sarinah area.

He said the incident began with a bomb blast in a Starbucks Coffee shop and later a suicide bombing that targeted a police post in Sarinah.

Two suicide bombers were killed on the scene, while two other perpetrators were shot dead by police officers, he reported.

Seven civilians, including two foreigners, became the victims of the attack. Of the seven civilians, two were killed in the attacks.

Five police officers were severely injured during the shootout with the attackers.

In the meantime, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan and Chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Sutiyoso visited the scene of the bomb blasts.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has condemned the bomb blasts targeting the Thamrin Boulevard in Central Jakarta and has ordered the police to arrest the perpetrators.

"I have ordered the National Police chief and the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs minister to chase down and arrest the suspects, both those on the scene and other members of the networks," President Jokowi, who is on a working visit to Cirebon, West Java Province, informed the press after receiving the report of the bombings in Central Jakarta.

The head of state expressed his condolences over the casualties resulting from the blasts.

He affirmed that terror attacks would never be able to incite a sense of fear or defeat among Indonesians and has appealed to the public to remain calm.
Source: ANTARA