A LONE attacker has detonated a bomb at the US embassy in China’s capital of Beijing.
Witnesses reported the large explosion this afternoon before dozens of officials swooped on the area.
“There was an explosion at approximately 1pm today in the public space off the South East corner of the Embassy compound,” an embassy spokesperson said.
“According to the Embassy’s Regional Security Officer, there was one individual who detonated a bomb. Other than the bomber, there were no injuries. The local police responded.”
Beijing Police confirmed a 26-year-old man from Inner Mongolia set off the small device.
Police said the man’s hand was injured and he was taken to hospital.
People gathered outside the compound as smoke filled the busy city.
Chinese media said witnesses reported the man intended to hurl the device into the embassy, but it exploded before he could get it over the fence, injuring people and a police car in its path.
The embassy is now closed to the surrounding corridors.
#breaking One person detonates an explosive device in a public area on the southeast side of the U.S. embassy compound in Beijing. Only the suspect injured, condition unknown. Chinese police investigating. Videos of smoke near the embassy widely circulated on Chinese social media pic.twitter.com/WIuSxP0h7C
— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) July 26, 2018
People in the area have posted pictures and video from the scene to Twitter and shared them on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo.
One video shows the military and police working around something under a blue tarp in the cordoned off area.
