Bangladeshi police storm hideout, find up to eight bodies

DHAKA: Bangladesh security forces found the scattered body parts of up to eight people including women and possibly children when they stormed an Islamist hideout yesterday police said.

Security forces entered the building after a two- day standoff with armed fighters believed to be from a new faction of an extremist group the government has blamed for a wave of deadly attacks targeting foreigners and religious minorities.

The head of the counterterrorism unit Monirul Islam said police believed the group holed up inside had blown themselves up to avoid being taken by police.

He said some of those killed were women, and that there could also be children among the dea.

“There was an explosion late yesterday afternoon when the operation began. They died due to that explosion,” he told reporters.

“We think there were seven to eight bodies of different ages.” Police came under grenade attack when they raided two Islamist hideouts in the northeastern district of Moulvibazar on Wednesday.

Militants threw at least eight grenades as police cordoned off the two houses, both owned by a Bangladesh origin British citizen. — AFP