At least 21 people were killed when police and suspected terrorists clashed in Tashkent near the president's residence as Uzbek forces laid siege to a  group of terror suspects.

Several explosion were heard and there was heavy firing through the day, witnesses said.

In the northern neighborhood of Yalangach, three police officers were killed when terrorist jumped out of car and detonated explosives strapped to their bodies. The car was stopped for a routine check.

A senior official monitoring the Tashkent operation said several terrorists killed themselves with grenades.