Four IS-inspired attackers target Indonesian police headquarters

Four men who attacked an Indonesian police headquarters with samurai swords were shot dead on Wednesday and one officer also died, authorities said, days after a wave of deadly suicide bombings claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group rocked the country.

The assault in the city of Pekanbaru on Sumatra island — also claimed by IS — saw a group ram it minivan into a gate at the station and then attack officers, police said.

Days earlier, two families who belonged to the same religious study group staged suicide bombings at churches and a police station in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-biggest city.

The attacks have put Indonesia on edge as the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country starts the holy month of Ramzan from Thursday.

Four attackers were shot dead at the scene on Wednesday and another suspect who fled was later arrested, police said. One officer was killed by the speeding vehicle and two others were wounded in the incident, they added. Indonesia is set to host the Asian Games in just three months and an IMF-World Bank meeting in Bali in October.