End of Hostage Situation in Bangladesh; Six Attackers Killed and 13 Hostages Freed

Reports indicate that the commando and special police forces' operation to free around 20 hostages from armed individuals in a restaurant in the capital of Bangladesh has concluded. According to the Associated Press, Bangladeshi officials stated that police forces managed to clear the main building of the restaurant, kill six hostage-takers, and rescue 13 hostages. Earlier, news outlets reported that the hostage situation inside the restaurant had ended and police were searching the premises. A Japanese government official also stated on Saturday that Bangladeshi authorities informed them that 12 hostages had been freed, two of whom are foreigners. A local network previously reported that after the special forces' operation, 10 to 12 rescued hostages were transferred to the hospital. Unconfirmed reports earlier indicated that five of the hostage-takers were killed and one was arrested, while it was said that two of the hostage-takers had escaped. Armed attackers stormed a busy café in the Gulshan neighborhood of Dhaka on Friday evening, taking around 20 people hostage, including several foreigners. Reports indicate that the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack. According to CNN, an eyewitness stated that after the commandos stormed the restaurant, police were able to evacuate an injured hostage. Reuters reported that Bangladeshi security sources said that at the beginning of the attack, two police officers were killed during a firefight with the hostage-takers. However, these sources rejected the Islamic State's claim regarding the death of 24 people in this attack. A police official stated that several Indian and Italian citizens were among those taken hostage in this attack. Police had previously announced that at least eight armed individuals participated in the attack on the 'Holly Artisan' restaurant in the diplomatic Gulshan area of Dhaka. According to Reuters, the armed attackers, armed with machine guns and grenades, attacked the restaurant at 9 PM local time and engaged in a firefight with police forces for hours. The Bangladeshi police announced last night that at least 15 people were injured at the start of the attack. Meanwhile, the Amaq news agency, which publishes news related to the Islamic State group, stated that elements of this group attacked a restaurant in the capital of Bangladesh. Earlier, news agencies reported that this incident occurred near the Nordic Club, where Norwegian nationals gather, and the Qatari embassy. Meanwhile, John Kirby, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, also stated that it is still too early to identify the attackers or their motives. He added that the U.S. embassy in Dhaka is in contact with Bangladeshi security forces. Mr. Kirby stated that the diplomatic staff of the U.S. embassy in Dhaka are outside the conflict area but could not confirm whether ordinary U.S. citizens are in a 'hostage situation.' The White House also reported that Barack Obama, the President of the United States, has been briefed on the latest developments regarding the hostage situation. Bangladesh has witnessed a wave of killings of religious minorities and secular civil activists by extremist militants in recent months. The hostage situation on Friday night in Dhaka occurs three days after an attack by Islamist extremists on Istanbul's Atatürk Airport, which left 43 dead.