Suspected militants attack police during Eid prayers in Bangladesh
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 7 July 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Suspected militants attack police during Eid prayers in Bangladesh, 7 July 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57a43c4e23.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
July 07, 2016
At least one police officer was killed and several others injured when suspected Islamic militants hurled bombs and engaged in a gun battle with police guarding mass Eid prayers in northern Bangladesh in the morning of July 7, officials say.
The attack in the district of Kishoreganj occurred when thousands of people had gathered for the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.
District police officials said several people had taken part in the attack and some had been armed with machetes.
Tofazzal Hosain, a deputy police chief, told the AFP news agency the attackers "first threw a small bomb targeting police and then attacked them with machetes. "
"Police retaliated by returning gunfire," he said, adding at least one attacker was killed and another arrested.
The violence comes less than a week after Islamist militants killed 20 people in an attack on a cafe in the capital, Dhaka, claimed by Islamic State militants.
Based with reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, and dpa
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
