AT LEAST SEVEN KILLED IN INDONESIA TERROR ATTACK.

A series of explosions and gunfire have rocked the Indonesian capital of Jakarta on Thursday afternoon, with reports suggesting at least seven people have been killed.

Police say a suicide bomber was responsible for one of the explosions, while the other blasts were caused by men on motorbikes throwing grenades.

At least three police officers and four civilians were killed by the blasts that went off at a Starbucks cafe, the Sarinah shopping mall, and United Nations offices in central Jakarta. Three other bombs went off in the Cikni, Silpi and Kuningan neighbourhoods, near the Turkish and Pakistani embassies.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has ordered security forces to hunt down the perpetrators and their network behind the attacks.

'I have received reports some time ago about the explosion in Thamrin street, Jakarta,' Mr Widodo said. 

'We express condolences for those who became victims, but we all also condemn the attack that caused restlessness among the community.' 

It has also been reported Indonesian Police shot dead four suspected militants who were part of the attack, according to Reuters.

'We are sterilising the building from basement to top,' Jakarta police spokesman Iqbal Kabid told reporters, explaining that a gun battle between the attackers and police took place in a cinema that is in the same building as a Starbucks cafe that was attacked.

'We will declare the situation secure soon.'

Moments before the President's comments, local news outlets reported at least three more attacks may have taken place across Jakarta.

Indonesian network TVOne reported there have also been blasts in Cikni, Silpi and Kuningan neighborhoods, near the Turkish and Pakistani embassies.

The network did not say if there were any casualties in the explosions.

A Reuters photographer said the windows of the Starbucks cafe were blown out and he could see dead people on the road. 

'There has been a lull in the shooting but someone is on the roof of the building and police are aiming their guns at him,' the photographer said.

Photographs show bodies lying on the street and smoke rising up into the sky from the explosions.   

Outside the Starbucks cafe, a bank security guard said he saw at least five attackers, including three suicide bombers, explode themselves.

Tri Seranto told The Associated Press he was out on the street when he saw the three men entering Starbucks and saw them blowing themselves up one-by-one.

He said the other two attackers, carrying handguns, entered a police post from where he heard gunfire. 

The guard said he later saw one policeman dead and three seriously injured.

He said he was not injured in the explosions as he was a little distance away, but close enough to witness the attack at 10.30am local time.

The guard said he saw two gunmen ran away with police chasing them.

Indonesia has been on edge over recent weeks about the danger of Islamist militants and counter-terrorism police have launched a crackdown on people with suspected links to Islamic State. 

However, the head of the Indonesian State Intelligence Agency told Reuters there were 'no indications' Islamic State militants are behind the attacks.

'This is definitely terrorism but there are no indications yet that it's ISIS related,' Mr Sutiyoso said.

In the wake of the blast, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop issued a statement urging people to avoid central Jakarta and 'exercise a high degree of caution' throughout the country.

'I have spoken to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marsudi and offered any support that Indonesia may need to respond to these attacks,' Ms Bishop said in a statement.

'Australians should avoid the area of the Sarinah Mall on JL Thamrin in Central Jakarta, and follow the instructions of local authorities. The overall level of advice has not changed and we continue to advise Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in Indonesia.

'If you have any concerns for the welfare of family and friends in the region, you should attempt to directly contact them. If you are unable to contact them and still hold concerns for their welfare, you should call the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's 24 hour Consular Emergency Centre.'

It has also been reported state and federal police chiefs in Australia were being briefed on the situation on Thursday evening.

 Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton tweeted: 'Getting briefings on the Jakarta attacks. Clearly significant events still in progress.'

The UN's south-east Asia regional representative Jeremy Douglas tweeted a bomb had gone off in front of his building.

He then heard a further five bomb blasts and gunfire in central Jakarta.

'A massive bomb went off in front of our new office as @collie_brown & I exit car. Chaos & we're going into lock-down,' Mr Douglas said.

'Apparent suicide bomber literally 100m from the office and my hotel.'

DailyMail