KABUL - Indonesian police arrested 77 illegal Afghan immigrants on Sunday just outside the capital Jakarta.
The Afghans were trying to head for Australia to seek asylum, according to media reports quoting immigration spokesperson Tito Andriano.
Immigration official Hertjansyah Wirandinata said that 17 of the immigrants managed to flee after being arrested.

Afghans asylum seekers frequently travel via Indonesia in their attempts to reach Australia.

In December, Afghans were among the 200 asylum seekers who died or who are still missing when an overfull ship heading for Australia capsized off Indonesia.