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Friday, July 1, 2016

Foreign Hostages In Bangladesh Attack

Several foreigners are said to be among a number of hostages taken by gunmen who stormed a restaurant in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka.
Eight or nine attackers stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery, located in the city's diplomatic quarter.
One kitchen staffer said that the gunmen were armed with firearms and bombs, entering the bakery at around 9:20pm local time and taking customers and staff hostage at gunpoint.
Bangladesh's police chief has confirmed that several foreigners are among the hostages.
Hostage Situation During Dhaka Attack
One policeman is reported to have been killed and three people seriously wounded by gunfire as officers surrounded the restaurant, located in the Gulshan area of the capital, and a massive firefight erupted.
A large number of security guards have cordoned off the surrounding area.
A police spokesman said: "Our first priority is to save the lives of the people trapped inside." 
The head of Bangladesh's elite security force told reporters: "We are trying to communicate with them (gunmen). We want to resolve it peacefully."
Bangladesh's Daily Star is reporting that heavily armed police in armoured vehicles are preparing to enter the restaurant.
A resident near the scene  of the assault said that gunfire could still be heard almost three hours after the attack began.
"It is chaos out there. The streets are blocked. There are dozens of police commandos," said Tarique Mir.
The US State Department has said the hostage situation is "still fluid", and the US embassy in Dhaka has urged citizens to shelter in place.
A spokesman for the US State Department said it was too early to say who was involved in the hostage situation, but that all Americans working at the US mission in Dhaka had been accounted for.
The White House says that President Barack Obama has been briefed on the situation, and has asked to be kept informed of developments.
One Bangladeshi TV station has reported that the gunmen chanted "Allahu Akbar" as they launched their assault.
The restaurant is located near a small hospital as well as the Nordic Club, a private members' club popular with expats.
There has been a string of recent attacks on religious minorities and secular activists by suspected Islamist militants in the country.
Earlier on Friday, a Hindu temple worker was hacked to death in southwest Bangladesh by three assailants.

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