Jakarta blasts: Six dead, tanks deployed as gunfight underway

The death toll from a series of blasts in Indonesia capital, Jakarta, has gone up to six and tanks have been deploed as firefight between gunmen and police officials is still underway.

One police officer is among the six killed, according to witnesses who said that he was shot by a gunman.

A police spokesman said the perpetrators were on foot and on motorcycles, but could not say how many of them there were.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo condemned the attack, calling them 'acts of terror'.

The first explosion was reported at 10:50 am in the car park of the Starbucks at the Skyline building adjacent to Sarinah, and was followed by six more blasts over the next 10 minutes, including at the police post at the intersection of Jalan Thamrin and Jalan K.H. Wahid Hasyim, according to witnesses, the Jakarta Globe reported.

Police have cordoned off the area and most of Jalan Thamrin where the gunbattle is going on.

Police were also seen entering the McDonald's restaurant at the Sarinah building at around 12:15 pm with gun shots still ringing out in the area.