Indonesia’s senior security minister was injured on Thursday in a knife attack carried out by two suspected Islamic militants, police said.

Former general Wiranto was getting out of a car when a man and a woman attacked him and policemen, who were with him during a visit to the town of Pandeglang in Baten province, National Police spokesman, Dedi Prasetyo, said.

Wiranto, a former armed forces commander, and the local police chief, who was also injured, were airlifted to Jakarta’s Central Army Hospital, local television reported.

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“It is believed that the two suspects have been exposed to the radical teachings of ISIS,” Dedi said, referring to the Islamic State extremist group.

He said they were suspected to be members of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah, a local affiliate of Islamic State.

Indonesia has been hit by a string of terrorist attacks since the 2000s, with more recent strikes being blamed on Islamic State-inspired militants. (dpa/NAN)