LIVE Updates | Dhaka attack: 9 Italian, 7 Japanese citizens confirmed dead; PM Hasina announces 2-day mourning

Germany 1-1 Italy

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Three students at universities in the United States, including a US citizen and an Indian citizen, were among those killed in the militant attack. While Indian citizen Tarishi Jain was studying at UC Berkeley, undergraduate Abinta Kabir and Goizueta Business School graduate student Faraaz Hossain were the two victims from Emory.

"The Emory community mourns this tragic and senseless loss," the university said in a statement. Emory said Kabir was from Miami and Hossain was from Dhaka.

Sushma Swaraj tweeted that the body of the Indian girl Tarishi Jain who was killed during the terror attack was identified by the family on Saturday afternoon. Her family will take the mortal remains to Ferozabad in UP after it reaches Delhi on July 4.

It is a case of brutal killing - an unnatural death. Some legal precedure has be completed. This will be done by tomorrow. /2 @15saloni2626

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 2, 2016

The mortal remains will reach Delhi by Jet Airways on Monday 4th July. This is with concurrence of Tarishi's father. /3 @15saloni2626

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 2, 2016

President Mukherjee emphasised that the people of India stand by the people of Bangladesh at this difficult hour and share their grief. 

I am deeply saddened at the loss of life and injuries caused to innocent civilians in this dastardly attack #PresidentMukherjee

— President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) July 2, 2016

India condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations #PresidentMukherjee

— President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) July 2, 2016

India believes that there can be no justification for such senseless acts of violence #PresidentMukherjee

— President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) July 2, 2016

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Saturday the country would stand up and fight the "terror threat" that has mushroomed in its backyard. In a live television broadcast, she said the country stood "committed and determined" to uphold its freedom

Hasina announced two days of national mourning in wake of the deadly attack.

Seven Japanese citizens have been confirmed dead in the attack, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Saturday.

Sirish Jain, Tarishi's cousin condemned the attack saying that it was a senseless act and said that he had received the news of the tragedy from the media. "You can understand that this is a rough time as we have lost our child. It's a senseless act. What's happening? Of course you hear such stories happening around the world but this menace is coming and hitting us directly and our family getting affected is something that one can never imagine in the wildest of their dreams," he told ANI. Read more

The gunmen, who stormed the restaurant, ordered all Bangladeshis to stand up before they began killing foreigners, a Reuters source briefed on the police investigation said. 

The family of an eyewitness told PTI that the gunmen did a background check on the religion of the captives by asking them to recite Quranic verses and tortured those who could not do so.

Nine Italians were killed in the attack with another Italian still unaccounted for, Italy's foreign minister said on Saturday. Meanwhile, seven Japanese citizens have also not been accounted for.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Dhaka attack has "pained us beyond words" as he spoke to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, conveying that India stands firmly with the country in this hour of grief.

"The attack in Dhaka has pained us beyond words," he tweeted about the terror strike at a restaurant popular with foreigners in which 24 people were killed during over 12-hour hostage situation. 

Modi said he spoke to Hasina and "strongly condemned the despicable attack".

Indian national, Dr Satyapal, was one of the hostages held during the seige, MEA sources said. He was rescued on Saturday morning. Satyapal spoke fluent Bengali and apparently came out as one among the Bangladeshis.

External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed that Indian national Tarushi Jain was among those killed during the siege. She was 19 years old and a student at Berkeley. She had passed out from American School Dhaka. 

I have spoken to her father Shri Sanjeev Jain and conveyed our deepest condolences.The country is with them in this hour of grief.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 2, 2016

Read details here. 

An unknown number of Italians were among hostages who were killed, a source at Italy's foreign ministry has told Reuters.

According to a report in 'The Daily Star', a rescued hostage said that people who could recite a verse from the Quran were spared, others were tortured. 

The militants slaughtered 20 hostages, all foreigners, before the joint operation led by the armed forces began, said Director of Military Operations Brigadier General Nayeem Ashfaq Chowdhury. Most of those killed were found with their throat slit, he added. 

"Army Para commando Unit-1 led the operation and killed six terrorists within 13 minutes," Chowdhury told reporters. 

The mission codenamed 'Operation Thunderbolt' was launched after the Prime Minister ordered the army to intervene to end the hostage crisis, he said.

This would make world community realise what India has been stating from time to time: Jitendra Singh #DhakaAttack pic.twitter.com/gpHuZSIoKT

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 2, 2016

Army Brigadier General Naim Asraf Chowdhury has said that 26 people, including 6 armed attackers are dead. 13 people were rescued including one Japanese and two Sri Lankans.

Confirming that 13 people had been rescued and 6 gunmen killed, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina condemned the attack. "What kind of humans are these, who are killing other humans during Ramzan?" she said. She also went on to laud all the security agencies. 

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has condemned attack in Dhaka. "Such attacks are a contradiction of all ethical and human values," she said.

India is closely monitoring the Bangladesh hostage crisis even as officials here maintained that so far all Indian High Commission staffers in Dhaka were reportedly safe.

Seven Italian nationals are thought to be among the hostages taken by gunmen who stormed a cafe popular with foreigners in the capital of Bangladesh on Friday, Italian state television said quoting the Italian ambassador to Bangladesh.

Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda has said one of its citizens had been shot and wounded in the Dhaka attack. However, the injuries were not life threatening. Seven other Japanese were eating together at the restaurant, but Japan's government has not been able to contact them, Hagiuda said.

Bangladeshi commandos have cleared the Dhaka cafe of gunmen, Lieutenant Colonel Masood of the Rapid Action Battalion has told a TV channel. Security forces are searching the surrounding area for more attackers.

Meanwhile, Islamic State posted photos on Saturday it claimed to be of foreigners killed in an attack on a cafe in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where gunmen were holding hostages as police laid siege to the building, news agency Amaq said.

Dhaka hostage crisis: Eyewitnesses to media say 5 gunmen killed, 1 captured, 2 unaccounted for (visuals of security) pic.twitter.com/X8WJaZLhjV

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 2, 2016

Associated Press reports that two big explosions have been heard inside the Dhaka restaurant.

Bangladesh media says 13 hostages have been rescued according to Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud. This reportedly includes Japanese and Indian nationals.

Five terrorists neutralised by Bangladesh's armed forces and Rapid Action Battalion. Two terrorists reportedly absconding and one caught.

Five dead bodies have been recovered from the Holey Artisan Bakery. However, their identity as to whether they are hostages or terrorists is yet to be ascertained. 

Dhaka hostage crisis: Visuals of the security forces from the restaurant location, ambulance also seen at the spot. pic.twitter.com/qMsJDBNIHU

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 2, 2016

Six people rescued from Holey Artisan Bakery. Five women and one child among the six rescued.

Ambulances move into Dhaka restaurant lane. Local media says at least 5 persons, presumably hostages, moved out via ambulances from cafe.

"Several persons including one foreigner rescued from Dhaka restaurant," says Mizanur Rahman of RAB. They are being taken to hospital.

Amid the unfolding hostage crisis, ANI reported that another Hindu priest was attacked on Saturday morning in Satkhira Sadar Upazila in Bangladesh. Bhabasindhu Bor, priest of the local Sree Radha Govinda temple in Brahmarajpur village was reportedly attacked by 7-8 men. The victim is in hospital and in a critical condition. This is the second attack in two days. 

Dhaka (Bangladesh) hostage crisis: Visuals of the security forces near the spot. #Bangladesh pic.twitter.com/5CCui4H8TU

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 2, 2016