Seven Japanese confirmed dead in Bangladesh hostage attack

Seven Japanese nationals involved in a hostage attack in Bangladesh have been confirmed dead, Japan’s government said late Saturday.

“Embassy officials confirmed that seven Japanese were included in the bodies sent to hospital by the Bangladesh government,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference in Tokyo.

The seven victims included five men and two women, Suga said, adding that it was “extremely regrettable” that the terror attack resulted in the fatalities.

The attackers, moving at the start of the Eid holiday, took foreigners hostage at a restaurant, killing 20 before troops rushed in Saturday. Many of the victims were hacked to death.

The Bangladesh military said most of the fatalities were either Italian or Japanese. Thirteen hostages were rescued.

The Japanese government had earlier said one Japanese was rescued but there were concerns about the fate of seven other Japanese citizens.