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6 gunmen killed, 13 hostages freed as Bangladeshi forces end Dhaka cafe siege - UPDATED

6 gunmen killed, 13 hostages freed as Bangladeshi forces end Dhaka cafe siege - <span style="color: red;">UPDATED

02 July 2016 08:19 (UTC +04:00)

Police met gunfire as they tried to enter the café. The operation involved a total of 100 policemen. According to information, there are losses among police forces.

It has been reported that Italian, Japanese and Indian nationals were among the hostages. Italy’s ambassador to Bangladesh, Mario Palma, confirmed the reports, saying that seven Italians were inside the cafe.

Police told NBC News that all the terrorists were killed during the operation, which lasted about 10 hours.

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7:40

At least five have been killed, while more than 11 hostages rescued, as joint Bangladesh special operation forces stormed a Dhaka restaurant Saturday morning to free dozens of people from gunmen there, police said, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Five to six gunmen stormed the restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave Gulshan on Friday night. The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Efforts to negotiate a peaceful end to the crisis are still ongoing though we've started the raid," said a police official who did not like to be named.

He said naval commandos have been called in to join personnel from the police, Rapid Action Battalion, and Borders Guard Bangladesh for the raid.

Bangladesh army soldiers have also been mobilized, according to the police official.

As huge number of policemen cordoned off the area, the miscreants opened fire at the law enforcers.

Attackers also hurled bombs at policemen.

The police official said the heads of security forces held talks with top policymakers after the situation remained unsolved throughout the night.

Seven Italian nationals and an unknown number of Japanese are thought to be among the hostages in the Holey Artisan Bakery restaurant, which is popular with foreigners.

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06:27

Baku-APA. Gunfighting at a besieged restaurant in the Bangladeshi capital ended on Saturday and between eight and ten hostages were rescued by commandos who were still inside the building, a police official said, APAreports quoting Reuters.

Gunmen attacked the restaurant in the diplomatic area of Dhaka late on Friday and took about 20 hostages, including foreigners, before police stormed the building to free those stuck inside.

The number of gunmen and hostages still in the restaurant was not clear, Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, a deputy director at the Rapid Action Battalion force, told Reuters.