Live: Bangladesh hostage crisis ends after commando operation

From The Hindu

Bangladeshi police stormed a restaurant in the capital Dhaka and rescued up to 10 hostages on Saturday, one official said, after an attack claimed by Islamic state.

Gunmen attacked the upscale cafe in the diplomatic area of Dhaka late on Friday and had been holding about 20 hostages, including foreigners, before police poured into the building to try to free those stuck inside. At least two police were killed.

According to sources more than a dozen civilians are rescued alive, their identity is not disclosed. Many however are feared dead. All television channels, which were stopped, are going live now.

10.25 am: The commanding officer of Bangladeshi commandos says at least six of the militants have been killed and 13 hostages rescued after security forces cleared the main restaurant building at the end of the 10-hour standoff.

Lt. Col. Tuhin Mohammad Masud told The Associated Press that some militants were captured.

The U.S. has said it cannot yet confirm the Islamic State’s claim owning responsibility for the hostage crisis in a restaurant in Dhaka’s high security diplomatic area. “We have seen ISIL (ISIS) claims of responsibility, but cannot yet confirm and are assessing the information available to us,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

According to U.S. media reports, IS has claimed responsibility of the attack at Holey Artisan Bakery.

But according to CNN, senior U.S. officials believe that the attack has been probably carried out by al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent, which was declared as a terrorist organisation by the U.S. only a day earlier.

“You can say we are aware of these reports but refer to Bangladeshi authorities,” a senior administration official told PTI when asked about the news reports.