(CNN) — Police in Northern Ireland said they were investigating a suspected car bombing late Saturday in Londonderry.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland tweeted: “Police are in attendance at the scene of an incident in Derry/Londonderry city centre. We would ask for patience and co-operation of the public and the business community as we carry out our initial investigations.”
Police urged residents via Twitter to stay away from the area.
Authorities did not name any suspects.
For many years, Northern Ireland has been split over the question of whether it should remain part of the United Kingdom or become part of Ireland.
Northern Ireland’s history has been marked by sectarian violence, although in recent years, its political parties have been working toward compromise and the two sides now make up a power-sharing government.
Londonderry, also known as Derry, has a population of about 240,000 in its metro area. It’s about 112 kilometers (70 miles) west of Belfast.
