A group of gunmen attacked a restaurant in the diplomatic center of Bangladesh's capital city Friday, taking patrons inside hostage.
The attack on Holey Artisan Bakery, a restaurant in Dhaka that is reportedly popular among diplomats and foreigners, happened at about 9:20 p.m. local time, The Guardian reported, citing local media. At least one policeman has been killed by gunfire as officials work to secure the release of hostages.
"We want to resolve this peacefully. We are trying to talk to the attackers," police Chief Benazir Ahmed said, according to the BBC. "Our first priority is to save the lives of the people trapped inside."
It is believed that some of the hostages are foreigners, The Associated Press reports. A spokesman for the U.S. State Department said all American citizens working under the diplomatic chief there have been accounted for.
The identities of the gunmen and motive behind the attack are not yet known. But the South Asian nation, situated in the eastern edge of India, has seen an uptick in violence in recent weeks, according to The AP.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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