Gunmen take hostages after storming restaurant in Dhaka’s diplomatic area

Bangladeshi security personnel stand guard near a restaurant in the diplomatic zone of Dhaka, Bangladesh,on July 1, 2016. Gun attacked the restaurant , which is popular with foreigners and locals andShow more

DHAKA // Gunmen took hostages after storming a popular restaurant in a diplomatic area of the Bangladeshi capital on Friday night and exchanged fire with security forces, at least two of who were killed. ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the Amaq News Agency, which has close ties with the group. It claimed that “more than 20 people of different nationalities [were] killed”.

Police said only that two officers had been killed by the attackers, while other people were seriously injured.

Some foreigners are believed to be among those held inside the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka’s Gulshan area, according to the head of the country’s elite anti-crime force, the Rapid Action Battalion.

“Some derailed youths have entered the restaurant and launched the attack,” Benazir Ahmed said. “We have talked to some of the people who fled the restaurant after the attack. We want to resolve this peacefully. We are trying to talk to the attackers, we want to listen to them about what they want.”

Sumon Reza, a kitchen staffer who escaped, said the attackers were armed with firearms and bombs as they entered the restaurant at around 9.20pm and took customers and staff hostage at gunpoint.

Jamuna Television, quoting Mr Reza, said the attackers chanted “Allahu Akbar” as they launched the attack.

The US state department said it appeared to be a hostage situation, and a senior Bangladeshi government official confirmed there were several people inside the restaurant.

“I heard that one Italian national who works at the restaurant and several other people were still inside the restaurant,” the official said.

Bangladesh, a traditionally moderate Muslim-majority nation, has recently seen an upsurge in militant violence. The attacks have raised fears that religious extremists are gaining a foothold in the country, despite its traditions of secularism and tolerance.

* Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters