IS claims responsibility

Dhaka, July 1 

Terrorist group Islamic State (IS) has claimed the responsibility of the attack at a restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of the Bangladeshi capital late Friday in which a number of gunmen, said to be eight to nine, reportedly took at least 20 persons hostage. IS-affiliated wire Amaq Agency said the terror group was behind the attack.

US President Barack Obama has been briefed on the hostage situation in Dhaka, White House officials said. The police have reportedly asked the media to stop live reporting of events unfolding while they attempt to negotiate with gunmen to release hostages.

“We are trying to talk to the attackers, we want to listen to them about what they want," Police said. Chief of the Rapid Action Battalion, Benjir Ahmed said "derailed youths" entered the restaurant and launched the attack. "One of the attackers was armed with a sword, the others carried guns," an employee of a nearby cafe told RT.

Some witnesses said they heard shooting noise and bomb blasts. At least four police officials were injured earlier after police exchanged fire with the gunmen attacked the restaurant popular with foreigners. 

Security forces have not yet entered the premisis of the restaurant, known as the Holy Artisan Bakery but are planning a rescue operation shortly.

"Bangladesh plans to start operation soon to rescue hostages from Dhaka restaurant, held by 8-9 gunmen," a police officer was quoted as saying.

As Islamic State loses territory in Iraq and Syria and its finances get drained, it may be trying to build affiliates in countries such as Libya, Egypt and Bangladesh for jihadists to launch attacks locally and cheaply, Analysts believe.

Since February last year, the Muslim-majority South Asian nation of 160 million has seen the killing of at least 26 people, including five secular bloggers, a publisher and two gay right campaigners.

Al-Qaida has claimed some of the attacks, while Islamic State has claimed 17 killings since first taking responsibility for murders in Bangladesh in September last year, according to US-based monitoring service SITE. — Agencies