The United States embassy in Oslo, Norway, was struck by an explosion in the early hours of Sunday, though no injuries were recorded, police authorities in the Norwegian capital confirmed. Investigators said the cause of the blast was not immediately known.
According to a statement from the Oslo police department, the explosion happened at about 1:00 am local time (0000 GMT).
Norway’s public broadcaster, NRK, quoted police incident commander Michael Dellemyr as saying the blast affected the entrance to the embassy’s consular section.
“At around 1:00 am we received several reports of an explosion. We arrived shortly afterwards and confirmed that there had been an explosion that hit the US embassy,” he told NRK.
“There is minor damage,” he said.
“We are not going to comment on anything related to the type of damage, what it is that has exploded and similar details, beyond the fact that there has been an explosion” because “it is very early in the investigation”, he said.
Dellemyr later told TV2 that the police “have an idea of the cause”, adding: “It appears to us that this is an act carried out by someone.”
He explained that investigators were already speaking with witnesses, while TV2 reported that a bomb squad had been deployed to the scene.
Police also stated that investigators were working with the embassy regarding the incident, with a large police presence stationed at the location.
Residents living close to the embassy reported hearing a loud explosion.
A 16-year-old identified only as Edvard told TV2 he was watching television when the blast occurred.
“My mother and I first thought it came from our house, so we looked around a little, but then we saw the flashing lights outside the window and a ton of police,” he said.
“There were police dogs and drones and police with automatic weapons and helicopters in the air,” he said.
Media reports added that a large security cordon had been placed around the embassy, while officers were stopping vehicles attempting to approach the area.
US embassies across the Middle East have been on high alert amid American military operations in Iran, with some facilities targeted in retaliatory attacks by Tehran on industrial and diplomatic locations.
However, Dellemyr said authorities have not linked the Oslo incident to the conflict.
“We’re not connecting it to the conflict. It’s far too early for that,” he told TV2.
AFP
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