Militants set off a series of bombs in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, Thursday, according to officials and witnesses, triggering a series of heavy gun battles with police and leaving at least six people dead.

The violence began mid-morning in central Jakarta, in a neighborhood with an upscale shopping center, luxury hotels, embassies, and other office buildings. In total, at least six explosions were reported.

At least one of the blasts appeared to target a Starbucks coffee shop, where a gun battle was said to have erupted after police stormed the cafe.

Witnesses said some of the explosions were caused by suicide bombers, though some police officials have denied this, saying instead grenades may have been used.

It is not clear who is responsible for the blasts, or whether they have been apprehended or killed. Local media reported that at least 14 militants were involved.

President Joko Widodo, speaking to a local television station, condemned the “acts of terror,” stressing authorities are working to contain the situation.

“Our nation and our people should not be afraid. We will not be defeated by these acts of terror. I hope the public stays calm,” he said.

Pictures and videos posted on social media appeared to show several bodies lying on a main street. Witnesses reported a heavy police presence, preventing journalists from accessing the area.

A United Nations building in the area is said to be on lockdown.

In a series of tweets, Jeremy Douglas, a regional representative for the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, reported at least six explosions, including an apparent suicide bomber and a “serious exchange of gunfire in the street.”

​Following the initial blasts, local media reported that several other blasts were heard throughout the city, including some in locations housing foreign embassies. Those reports could not be immediately confirmed.

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim majority nation, has been the target of several terrorist attacks, most notably the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.

The last attack against foreigners was a twin hotel bombing in Jakarta in 2009.

Jakarta has long been warning about the threat of recruitment by Islamic State and other extremist groups. Hundreds of Indonesians are believed to have left to fight with Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
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