Japan, Italy, India confirm death of their nationals in Dhaka cafe attack

Affected countries have begun confirming the number of their citizens killed in a terror attack on a restaurant in Bangladesh capital Dhaka.

Nine of the hostages killed by gunmen at the Holey Artisan Bakery on Friday were Italians, said the country’s Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

Another man, Jacopo Bioni, was unaccounted for and could be injured or in hiding, he told Reuters.

The army, which mounted  the operation that led to rescue of 13 hostages, had earlier said that the 20 people killed were all foreigners, but a later statement indicated local casualties as well.

Of the 20 bodies kept at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) mortuary, 11 are men and nine women.

Among those rescued is a Japanese and two Sri Lankans.

Six attackers were gunned down by the commandos, who launched an offensive 11 hours after the gunmen stormed the cafe. Another was captured alive, security officials say.

Seven of the dead hostages were Japanese, said the country’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, while Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that one of the victims was an Indian national identified as 19- year-old Tarushi Jain.

The Italian foreign office has identified their dead nationals. 
 
Nadia Beenidetti was the managing director of Studio Tex Ltd at Baridhara, Vincenzo D'Allestro was the managing director of a buying house at Gulshan, Claudia Maria D'Antona, Simona Monti, Maria Riboli, Adele Puglisi, Claudio Cappelli, Christian Rossi and Marco Tondat.  

The Japanese victims are Ogasawara, Tanaka Hiroshi, Shakai Yuku, Kurusaki Nubuhiri, Okamura Makato, Shimudhuira Rui and Hashimato Hideiko.

Three Bangladeshi diners, whose families have confirmed their deaths, are Faraaz Hossain, Abinta Kabir and Ishrat Akhond.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Salauddin of Banani Police Station and Detective Branch (DB) Assistant Commissioner Robiul Karim died of shrapnel wounds after the attackers, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’, hurled grenades at police when they tried to enter the cafe.

Many are being treated in hospitals including policemen and restaurant workers.