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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Jul 02, 2016, 02:20 AM IST
Islamic State terrorists on Friday night stormed a crowded restaurant in Dhaka's high-security Gulshan diplomatic area and took hostage at least 20 people including foreigners, triggering a fierce gunbattle with Bangladesh security forces in which two cops were killed and 30 injured.
Terrorists shouting "Allahu Akbar" barged into the Holey Artisan Bakery, frequented by diplomats and expatriates, and opened indiscriminate fire at around 9:20 PM (local time). Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency nearly four hours after the hostage crisis unfolded.
There are contradictory reports about number of gunmen involved. Around 7-8 terrorists are reported to be holed inside the cafe, though some reports say that the number may be higher.
Several foreigners, including Italians and Japanese, were feared to have been taken hostage along with locals inside the restaurant, said police.
Footage emerges from Bangladesh's capital, where gunmen have taken hostages at a restaurant popular with foreigners https://t.co/u2X6BymNhl — Sky News (@SkyNews) July 1, 2016
"We are trying to negotiate with the gunmen holed up inside the restaurant," Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) chief Benazir Ahmed told newsmen. "Our first priority is to save the lives of the people trapped inside." The officer in-charge of nearby Banani police station, Salahuddin Ahmed, was among the two policemen killed in the gunbattle. The other officer killed in the attack was Additional Commissioner of Police Rabiul, identified only by his first name. At least 30 people and policemen have been injured in the firefight.
The attackers hurled bombs from inside the restaurant and were firing intermittently. When the police tried to get inside the building the gunmen triggered a blast to stop them.
Gunshots and explosions were heard near the restaurant.
(Image courtesy AFP)
MEA sources in New Delhi said they were monitoring the situation in Dhaka and trying to ascertain the details.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was in touch with security agencies over the incident. US President Barack Obama has been briefed by his top counter-terrorism official on the attack in Bangladesh, a White House official said.
A large number of policemen and personnel from the RAB have cordoned off the area. Security personnel were seen warding off people crowding the cordon.
A kitchen staff of the restaurant, who managed to escape, said several armed men entered the restaurant around 8:45 PM and took the chief chef hostage, according to media reports. "They set off several crude bombs triggering panic," he added.
Earlier on Friday, a Hindu priest and a Buddhist leader were brutally hacked to death by machete-wielding Islamic State militants while another Hindu man survived a bid on his life. On June 7, a 65-year-old Hindu priest was killed by three bike-borne assailants in western Bangladesh.
Italian nationals are thought to be among the hostages taken by gunmen, a source at the Italian foreign ministry said, reports Reuters.
The number of Italians who may be present inside the cafe is not known.
Bangladesh Border Guards are seen near Gulshan restaurant (Reuters)
According to Reuters, ISIS has claimed that they have killed 20 people in this attack. But Bangladesh security authorities are yet to confirm this claim. So far, death of 2 policemen have been confirmed in the Dhaka hostage crisis.
The al Qaeda affiliate Ansar al-Islam took to Twitter to post the Bangladesh attack claim.
Possibly Ansar al-Islam? #Bangladesh #Dhaka pic.twitter.com/qj9QH9We4q
— Eye on Politics (@EyeOnPolitics) July 1, 2016
Another police officer, Robiul Islam, assistant commissioner of Uttara zone Detective Branch, has died in the shooting.
Alleged affiliate of Al Qaeda claims responsibility of the attack on social networking site Twitter.
The Indian Ministry of External affairs has said that all Indian High Commission officials are reportedly safe.
Banani police station officer-in-charge Salahuddin has been killed in the shooting by the hostage-takers during exchange of gunfire, according to the leading Bangladesh media Prothom Alo.
Bangladesh media says 8 armed men in early 20's entered Dhaka cafe shouting slogans and have taken dozens of people hostage. Gun battle on
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 1, 2016
Bangladesh police chief says that plans to start active operation to rescue hostages from inside the restaurant soon.
News channels in Bangladesh stop live broadcast of ongoing operations in Dhaka after instructions from authorities.
Bangladesh police chief says that at least eight or nine gunmen are present in the restaurant which is situated in a posh area of Dhaka.
Bangladesh media: Police negotiator appeals "we are requesting the ones who are inside the restaurant to talk to us., relay us your demands"
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 1, 2016
The US State Department said on Friday that it was too early to say who was involved in a hostage situation at a restaurant in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka or what the motivation might be, but it confirmed that all Americans working at the US mission there had been accounted for.
"We have accounted for all Americans working for the chief of mission authority" in Dhaka, State Department spokesman John Kirby told a press briefing. He said the situation was "very fluid, very live."
US embassy in Dhaka tweets advisory about hostage situation in Dhaka, to take shelter and monitor news.
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 1, 2016
Bangladesh media says 8 armed men in early 20's entered Dhaka cafe shouting slogans and have taken dozens of people hostage. Gun battle on
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 1, 2016
State department says the hostage situation in neighbourhood of Bangladesh capital Dhaka is "still fluid", All US citizens working Chief of Mission have been accounted for.
Bangladesh media reports that gunmen entered the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in diplomatic area in Dhaka, opened fire. Reports of 20 hostages
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 1, 2016
