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Rabat – An explosion at a mosque within a school complex in Jakarta, Indonesia, caused injuries to at least 54 people.
Local police said some sustained minor injuries while others suffered moderate wounds and burns. Additionally, a few have been discharged from the hospital, local police chief Asep Edi Suheri said.
Police have yet to identify the cause of the explosion, according to converging reports.
The Friday prayers sermon was marked by two blasts that witnesses heard around midday at SMA 27, a state-funded high school.
Edi Suheri emphasized police are still investigating the case, urging the public not to speculate whether the blast was a terror attack.
Police deployed an anti-bomb unit, which found toy rifles and a toy gun near the mosque.
“Police are still investigating the scene to determine the cause of the blasts,” Edi Suheri said.
Jakarta Globe reported that the Jakarta squad unit secured the scene to “prevent further explosions and collect forensic evidence.”
“We must ensure the site is safe before continuing the investigation – we don’t yet know the exact source or cause of the blast,” the news outlet quoted Jakarta Police spokesperson Budi Hermanto as saying.
The news outlet also quoted Budi Laksono, a teacher at the school leading students during the service, who described the panic that covered the place following the blast.
“The sermon had just started when the explosion occurred. Everyone ran outside – some were crying, others fell in panic,” Laksono said.
