A bomb exploded close to the main compound of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China. It happened on Thursday afternoon, at approximately 1 p.m. local time. Authorities have reported that no damage has been done to the U.S. embassy, and that apart from the bomber, no injuries have been reported.
The bomber has been identified as 26-year old, Jian, from Tongliao, a city within the Inner Mongolia region of China. He injured his hand while detonating the bomb, however his injury is not life-threatening. The police have detained him and he has been taken to the hospital.
The bomb was detonated near the southeast corner of the main compound, where a small amount of debris could be seen following the explosion. It is reported that a police SUV was also damaged by the explosion.
One witness shared that “I heard the sound of a big explosion and then women screaming.” Others reported hearing a blast, while some witnesses reported feeling tremors near the U.S. embassy.
The police described the bomb as a “firework device”, and reports said white smoke rose from the area of the explosion.
However, the smoke was cleared away quickly, and shortly after the incident, police ushered away any journalists who had gathered there.
In a statement from the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang, the explosion was referred to as an “isolated security incident.” He continued saying, “Chinese police have dealt with it in a timely and proper manner.”
Investigations are currently under way.
