Nine Italians among 20 victims of Bangladesh attack

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) – Italy confirmed Saturday that nine of its citizens were among the 20 victims of the armed attack on a restaurant in the diplomatic zone of Bangladesh’s capital city.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said: "Nine Italian citizens lost their lives in an attack that happened in Dhaka yesterday evening."

Gentiloni said that of the 11 Italians who were present when the attack began, one, Gianni Boschetti, managed to escape, but there is no information about the other.

"The families of the [nine] victims were informed," he said.

A total of 20 people -- all foreigners -- were killed following an armed attack on a restaurant and hostage siege claimed by the terrorist group Daesh on Saturday evening.

The militants armed with guns and explosives stormed the restaurant in the city’s Gulshan neighborhood, which is home to several embassies and one of the most secure districts of the capital.

*Anadolu Agency’s Servet Gunerigok contributed from Ankara.