On Sunday, a minor explosion occurred at the United States Embassy in the capital of Norway, Oslo, causing slight damage but no injuries. Norwegian authorities have indicated that the incident may be a deliberate attack related to conflicts in the Middle East.
Officials reported that they received reports of the explosion around 1 a.m. local time.
Frode Larsen, head of the investigation department of Oslo police, stated at a press conference, “Given the current security situation, it is natural to consider this event as a deliberate attack on the U.S. Embassy.”
Following the joint military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran a week ago, some U.S. embassies and consulates around the world have recently become targets of drone attacks by Iran.
Larsen mentioned that no suspects have been identified yet, but the police are searching for the perpetrators, whether it is an individual or a group. He also noted that they are closely cooperating with the embassy.
In an interview with the state-owned media NRK, Larsen added, “One of our assumptions is that this could be a terrorist act, but we are also exploring other possibilities.”
Witnesses stated that the explosion took place at the U.S. embassy compound in western Oslo, causing damage to the entrance of the consulate section of the embassy. Thick smoke from the explosion drifted onto nearby streets.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated in a release that the Norwegian government has been in contact with officials from the U.S. Embassy and condemned the incident as “unacceptable” and emphasized the importance of diplomatic mission security.
“The security of diplomatic missions is crucial to us,” he added.
Oslo police confirmed that the explosion indeed occurred at the entrance of the consulate section of the U.S. Embassy.
Authorities confirmed in a press release, “Emergency services have deployed significant resources at the scene, and no injuries were reported, only minor material losses were found on-site.”
The police reiterated, “We take such incidents occurring in public places very seriously and are allocating extensive resources to prioritize the investigation.”
Following the explosion, authorities dispatched police dogs, drones, and helicopters to the area for investigation. The police have stated that after further investigation, residents in the surrounding area are safe.
(This article contains information referenced from Reuters)