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Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Harsha de Silva has said that at least two hostages held by ISIS militants in Dhaka, Bangladesh, may be Sri Lankans.
The Deputy Minister tweeted, ‘Hon Ruwan Wijewardene informed us of two possible Sri Lankans among hostages inside restaurant in Dhaka. We are urgently looking in to it.’
Later he stated that the Sri Lankan Deputy Chief of Mission in Dhaka is ‘touch with Police regarding the two individuals suspected to be among the hostages in the café’.
Gunmen have stormed a popular cafe which is frequented by foreigners in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, taking a number of hostages.
Several foreigners are among those being held by 8 or 9 armed men in the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in the city's Gulshan district.
Reports state that about 30 are others injured. So-called Islamic State has said it carried out the attack.
A statement on the group's self-styled news agency Amaq said that more than 20 people "of different nationalities" had been killed but this has not been confirmed.
However, according to the Italian ambassador in Dhaka, 7 Italian nationals are believed to be in the cafe.
Security forces say they are trying to negotiate the hostages' release.
