‘HUNDREDS’ of Bangladeshi officers STORMING restaurant to save 20 hostages from terrorists [UPDATED]

Bangladeshi police forces are storming the restaurant held by terrorists to save 20 hostages.

From the BBC:

Hundreds of troops are storming a cafe in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, where gunman took at least 20 hostages on Friday, security officials say.

Reports say several of those held are Italian, and a spokesman in Tokyo said some may be Japanese.

The militant group Islamic State has said it carried out the attack.

A BBC correspondent at the scene says gunfire was heard early on Saturday morning. At least two police officers were killed in earlier exchanges.

Thirty other police officers have been injured.

“The operation has began. Commandos have stormed the restaurant,” an official told the AFP news agency after a tense overnight stand-off.

Eight or nine armed men burst into the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe at about 21:20 (13:20 GMT) on Friday and opened fire.

A statement on the IS self-styled news agency Amaq said militants had attacked a restaurant “frequented by foreigners”. It said that more than 20 people “of different nationalities” had been killed but this has not been confirmed.

Seven Italian nationals are believed to be in the cafe, the Italian ambassador in Dhaka, Mario Palma, was quoted as saying by Italian media.

A Japanese government spokesman said Tokyo was investigating reports that some of its citizens were among the hostages.

The attack comes after a spate of murders of secular bloggers, gay activists, academics and members of religious minorities, blamed on Islamist militants.

Then there’s this:

Let’s hope there are as few casualties as possible.

UPDATE:

ISIS is posting images that are supposedly from inside the restaurant showing many dead bodies.

Some are doubting their authenticity, but a correspondent on MSNBC says he guarantees that the pictures are from that restaurant. Grim news.

UPDATE:

10:30 PM EST – a reporter on MSNBC said that 5-6 people have been rescued, including one foreigner.

UPDATE:

10:22 PM EST – Here’s a tweet with the pictures posted by ISIS that are reportedly from inside the restaurant. Caution – they’re very gruesome.


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