B'desh commemorates 3rd anniversary of terror attack

Gunmen stormed the Spanish Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka's Gulshan diplomatic area on July 1, 2016, killing 22 civilians, 17 of whom were foreign nationals.

Dhaka: Memorials were held here on Monday to commemorate the third anniversary of Bangladesh's worst terrorist attack when dozens of people were killed by militants at a cafe in Dhaka, mostly foreigners.

On Monday morning, mourners including Bangladeshi officials, politicians and foreign diplomats gathered at the scene of the massacre, placed wreaths and prayed for the departed souls, media reported.

Five gunmen stormed the Spanish Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka's Gulshan diplomatic area on July 1, 2016, and taking several dozen hostages. When Dhaka Metropolitan Police tried to regain control of the bakery, two police officers were shot dead.

Over 22 civilians were also killed in the clash, 17 of whom were foreign nationals.

The Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility for the attack.

But Bangladeshi authorities rejected the claim, saying operatives of a banned local militant outfit Neo-JMB, an offshoot of banned militant outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), plotted the attack to boast about their existence.