Italians among hostages in Dhaka restaurant siege: Reuters

Italian nationals are thought to be among the hostages taken by gunmen who stormed the restaurant popular with foreigners in the Bangladesh capital on Friday, a source at the Italian foreign ministry has told Reuters.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi leaves the EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, June 28, 2016. Reuters Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi leaves the EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, June 28, 2016. Reuters

The source said it was not clear how many Italians may be involved.

Gunmen stormed a restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of Dhaka on Friday night and took about 20 people hostage, including several foreigners, in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

The Islamist militant group said more than 20 people had been killed, but police have so far confirmed the deaths of only two of their officers.

Italy's Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Twitter he was closely following the situation in Dhaka, adding he was "anxious for Italians involved" and expressed solidarity with their families.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi abruptly left a ceremony at the Colosseum in Rome on Friday evening to follow the hostage-taking incident, a source at his office said.

Italian state TV RAI broke off regular programming to give updates about the situation.

It said Italians could be among the hostages or the victims.

The source at the Italian foreign ministry said families of people potentially involved were being contacted.