Indonesia: 6 dead, 35 injured after terrorists attack three churches
Terrorists attacked three churches in Indonesia's second-largest city Surabaya on Sunday, killing at least 6 and injuring over 35. The police said the first attack took place at 7:30 AM local time. The number of casualties is expected to go higher. The explosions, carried by suicide bombers, occurred within 10 minutes of each other. Indonesia has seen a rise in home grown militancy, recently.
Police official says victims are being identified
"Six people are dead and 35 are in the hospital," said East Java police spokesman Frans Barung Mangera. The victims are being identified, he added. One of the bombs was detonated at Santa Maria church.
The horror: Devastating images from Surabaya surface
Television images from Surabaya, after the attack, showed toppled motorcycles and scattered debris. People were seen frantically attempting to help the injured. All churches in the city were shut down, and a food festival cancelled. Reportedly, police are investigating a woman with young child, and a teenager who entered one church just before the explosion. No group claimed responsibility at the time of press.
Attack comes days after militants kill members of counter-terrorism force
A few days ago, a 36-hour standoff between Islamist militant prisoners and an elite counter-terrorism force lead to the death of five members of the latter. The incident took place at a high-security jail on the outskirts of country's capital Jakarta. Though the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for it, the police rejected the claim.
