Awful Bangladesh siege: Twenty foreigners killed at Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka

Twenty people, all of them foreigners, were killed during an assault by suspected Islamist militants on a cafe in Bangladesh, the army says.

Gunmen stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka late on Friday before troops entered nearly 12 hours after.

One was arrested and six of the attackers were also killed, a government spokesman said. The attack was claimed by the so called Islamic State (IS).

Most victims were allegedly from Italy and Japan.

As diners were assembling to break their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan the siege began.

“It was an incredibly heinous action,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in a televised statement. “What kind of Muslims are these people? They don’t have any religion.

“My government is determined to root out terrorism and militancy from Bangladesh.”

Bangladesh’s Daily Star newspaper said the gunmen tortured anyone who was unable to recite the Koran.

Meals were provided by them immediately for only the prisoners that were Bangladeshi, it said.