Bangladesh Dhaka – European Affairs Magazine

Inter-Parliamentary Union Saudi: Shoura Council condemns Iran's blatant interventions in the region

6 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

During the 136th session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Dhaka, the Shoura Council condemned Iran’s interventions in the region and its attempts to provoke seditions and support armed militias. For that reason the Shoura Council called for countering and exposing threats to peace and security in the region. Moreover the humanitarian situation was discussed and the Saudi delegation expressed the necessity of more diplomatic and parliamentary efforts to end world crises. According to the Council the IPU meetings are a precious opportunity to discuss world problems and it also noted the efforts by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the Yemeni crisis, as they offered the GCC initiative as a basis for a solution between the Yemeni political parties. Concerning the situation in Yemen the Council said the response of the Kingdom and other Gulf countries was an ethical duty and that the operation Decisive Storm is conformed to regional and international charters. In fine the Council expressed regret over the failure of the UN Security Council and the international community to find a solution to the crisis in Syria.

IPU confirms support for legitimacy in Yemen

4 Aprile 2017 Senza categoria di

During the meeting of the Yemeni parliamentary delegation during the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the IPU confirmed its support for Yemeni’s unity, sovereignity and legitimate leadership and rejected the coup by the Houthis and ousted President Saleh. The delegation reviewed the situation in the country and the violation againts Yemeni people by the rebels, supported by Iran. Moreover the head of the Yemeni delegation met with IPU President and Secretary General and they discussed about the state of Yemeni’s Parliament, which was closed by rebels, who arrested MPs and theatened to kill them. As a consequence to this situation the Parliament was moved to the temporary capital of Aden.

Night of terror in Dhaka: 20 hostages killed

2 Luglio 2016 Asia @en/BreakingNews @en di

A commando of Islamists probably affiliated to the Islamic State attacked with firearms and sidearms a restaurant attended by foreigners in the diplomatic area of the capital of Bangladesh. This morning at 7.40, am after a night of stall, special army forces intervened with a flash blitz killing six attackers and freeing 13 hostages. A seventh terrorist was arrested. Two police officers were killed during the operation.

On the floor of the restaurant were found the bodies of 20 hostages, almost all them of Italian and Japanese nationality, as reported by local sources.

Many of the victims would present fatal wounds caused by sharp weapons. An employee of the restaurant kitchens, escaped the massacre, said that the bombers have penetrated the local armed with guns, grenades and swords, at 8:45 pm on Friday, shouting “God is great”, while 20 clients of foreign nationality (including which several diplomats and Italian entrepreneurs of the textile industry) were having dinner, along with the local clientele.

To outcry followed the gunfire and explosions. Many staff members, including the Italian chef of Holey Artisan Bakery, and several dozen customers have been able to get to safety before the bombers blocked the doors and barricade inside the restaurant. According to some sources, yet to be verified, the bombers would then dedicated to the massacre, brutally killing the hostages unable to recite passages from the Koran.

Some of the employees were holed up in the bathroom, managing to save himself and starting to communicate with the outside world through mobile and social media. A crowd of about two hundred people, made up of curious, friends and relatives of the hostages, had gathered near the restaurant while the police began to outline the area and to secure the perimeter.

The blitz tof his morning ended a 10-hour siege. The identity of the victims has yet to be verified.

Today’s deaths are added to the 40 killed in the Asian country from 2013 onwards for Islamist militants hand. The victims, including foreign, atheist blogger, the gay community activists and members of religious minorities, were often slaughtered with machetes, in an unprecedented blaze of violence organized and coordinated by terrorist groups with international links. Police responded, in recent months, with a crackdown against militant Islamism that led to the arrest of more than 10,000 people across the country.

So far, though, the Bangladeshi authorities had rejected the idea that local groups could be part of a transnational Islamist networks. Today’s attack will likely force them to reconsider that position.

Luca Marchesini