Italian Foreign Ministry Says 11 Italians Taken Hostage in Dhaka Cafe

At least 11 Italian nationals were inside a Dhaka restaurant when jihadists conducted an attack and took visitors hostage, Italian media said Saturday with citing sources in the Italian Foreign Ministry.

ROME (Sputnik)  According to the Askanews agency, one Italian national managed to escape from the restaurant.

Earlier it was reported that seven Italians were taken hostage in Dhaka.

On Friday, Daesh terrorist group claimed responsibility for taking hostages inside a cafe located in Dhaka's diplomatic quarter. Some media outlets quoted the Bangladeshi army as saying that all of those killed were foreigners, mainly Italian and Japanese citizens.

Earlier, the Bangladeshi army said that at least 20 people had been killed by the hostage takers before the Bangladeshi security forces began their operation to free hostages.

A special police operation to free the hostages has ended, with a total of 13 people rescued, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said earlier. Security forces killed six attackers captured one, with two security officers killed during the operation, according to reports.