Indian girl among 20 foreigners killed in Dhaka terror attack

Mangalore Today/ PTI

Dhaka, Jul 2, 2016, PTI: Indian girl Tarushi, 19, who was taken hostage was killed by the attackers. 20 foreigners, including an Indian girl, were hacked to death by suspected ISIS militants inside a cafe popular with expats in the diplomatic zone here in the worst terror attack in Bangladesh before commandos launched an assault today killing six attackers and capturing one alive.

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

Indian girl Tarushi, 19, who was taken hostage was killed by the attackers. "I am extremely pained to share that the terrorists have killed Tarushi, an Indian girl who was taken hostage in the terror attack in Dhaka," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

Nine Italian, 7 Japanese and one American were also killed in the attack. Two senior police officers were also killed in the gunbattle that began last night.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said one Italian was still unaccounted for.

However, the identity of two others killed in the attack was still unclear. Some reports said three Bangladeshis were among the dead.

Brigadier Chowdhury said the bodies of the victims were recovered during a search in the Holey Artisan Bakery compound after the operation.

"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.

Gunshots and sounds of explosion rocked the area at 7:40 AM (local time) as security forces launched the final assault.

Minutes later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the end of siege and said security forces "successfully" wrapped up their operation, freeing 13 hostages after killing six terrorists and capturing one militant at the Spanish cafe.

"It was an extremely heinous act. What kind of Muslims are these people? They don’t have any religion," she said in a televised speech, referring to the terrorists.

"They don’t have any religion...terrorism is their religion," said Hasina, with Army chief General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq by her side.

"I thank Allah as we could destroy the terrorists and rescue the hostages," Hasina said, vowing to do everything to "uproot the militants and violent extremists" from Bangladesh.

Later Hasina asked extremists to stop killing in the name of religion and urged unity among countrymen. She declared two days of mourning for the victims.

Among those rescued were Indian, Sri Lankan and Japanese nationals, media reports said. Around 30 people were injured.

Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency, nearly four hours after the hostage crisis unfolded, according to the US-based SITE Intelligence group, which monitors jihadist activity online.

The agency issued a number of photographs of what it said were scenes from inside the restaurant. The pictures showed what appeared to be a number of bodies lying in pools of blood.

Amaq claimed that 24 people had been killed in the attack carried out by what it described as "ISIS commandos".

Heavy firing and explosions continued at least for an hour after the operation began this morning. A resident of a building, just 50 yards from the scene, reported spotting snipers firing from their guns.

Shots were also fired from armoured personnel carriers (APCs). Grenades were also apparently exploded. Later, the APCs broke through the walls and entered the restaurant premises.

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

After hours of quiet at the Holey Artisan Bakery where terrorists were holding hostages, a fresh round of heavy gunfire rang out in the morning.

"Our law enforcement agencies responded promptly soon after the terrorists raided the restaurant...as they were about to take action, two police officers were killed by the terrorists," Hasina said.

She said the situation prompted the authorities to call out army commandos from cantonments in north-eastern Sylhet, suburban Savar and the Dhaka garrison overnight.

"At around 4 in the morning, the operational plan was laid out and the security forces launched the assault," she said.

Army men in armoured personnel carriers (APCs) had moved in with commandos. Over 1,000 rounds of gunshots were fired and almost 100 blasts were heard in the first half an hour of the raid, media reports said.

Last night, terrorists shouting "Allahu Akbar" barged into the cafe, frequented by diplomats and expatriates, and opened indiscriminate fire at around 9:20 PM (local time).

The military-led rescue operation today was launched jointly by a navy commando squad, paramilitary BGB, elite anti-crime RAB along with special police units.

The deceased policemen have been identified as officer in-charge of nearby Banani police station, Salahuddin Ahmed and Additional Commissioner of Police Rabiul.

An Argentine national and a local escaped after taking refuge in a nearby house when the gunmen entered the restaurant.

Police said they have detained two employees of the eatery for questioning. The Muslim-majority Bangladesh has witnessed a wave of deadly attacks on religious minorities and secular bloggers by suspected Islamist militants.

A 48-year-old Hindu priest was today stabbed and critically injured by unknown assailants in Satkhira district.

A Hindu priest and a Buddhist leader were brutally hacked to death by machete-wielding ISIS militants in the last two days while another Hindu man survived a bid on his life.