Indian among 20 foreigners killed in Dhaka

TWENTY foreigners, including an Indian girl, were hacked to death by suspected IS IS militants inside a ca feint he diplomatic zone in Dhaka in the worst terror attack in Bangladesh, before the army launched an assault on Saturday, 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.

Indian Tarishi Jain, 19, who was taken hostage, was killed by the attackers .“I am extremely pained to share that the terrorists have killed Tar is hi, an Indian girl who was taken hostage in the terror attack in Dhaka,” external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

Italian and Japanese nationals were among 19 others who were brutal ly murdered at the Holey Artisan Bakery. Two senior police officers were also killed in the gunbattle that began Friday night.

“It was an extremely heinous act. What kind of Muslims are these people? They don' t have any religion ,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in a televised speech, referring to the terrorists. Hasina vowed to do everything to “uproot the militants and violent extremists” from Bangladesh. Among those rescued were Indian, Sri Lankan and Japanese nationals, media reports said. Hasina said around 30 people were injured in the attack. Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency, nearly four hours after the hostage crisis unfolded, as per the USbased 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. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Dhaka attack has "pained us beyond words" as he spoke to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, conveying that India stands fir mly with the country in this hour of grief. In a series of tweets, he said, "India stands firmly with our sisters & brothers of Bangladesh in this hour of grief..My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that those who are injured recover quickly."

REUTERS Soldiers take position outside the Dhaka restaurant that was attacked. The operation to recover the hostages was launched on Saturday