Gunmen Affiliated with Islamic State Kill Foreigners in Bangladesh Café

Twenty hostages, mostly foreigners were killed in Dhaka, Bangladesh Friday July 1^st after armed gunmen declaring loyalty to the Islamic State stormed a popular tourist café. The victims included nine Italians, seven Japanese nationals, and one American. According to Reuters, five assailants allegedly entered the café and told Bangladeshis to stand up before beginning to kill foreigners. The gunmen originally decided to spare Muslims but later killed the ones who were unable to recite the Quran. Following a 12-hour siege, government forces stormed the café, killing all but one of the Jihadists; one of the hostages, a kitchen worker in the café, also died in the process. The attackers were wealthy, educated Bangladeshi citizens. whom authorities had previously investigated for terror.

The siege is one of the latest in a string of attacks since the Islamic State called for during increased violence during the month of Ramadan. Turkey, France, the US, and Saudi Arabia are just some of the many countries that have experienced attacks in the past month.

Since September 2015, Bangladesh has seen numerous attacks targeting secular bloggers, social activists, and ethnic minorities; a quarter of these attacks have been claimed by the Islamic State, with many of the others having been claimed by smaller jihadist groups. Despite this, the ruling secular Awami League party continues to deny the Islamic State’s role in the attacks, blaming it on the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP), which includes a number of Islamist groups among its sub-parties. These claims are not completely unfounded, a number of the people that have been killed have been members of the Shahbag movement, which seeks to punish Jamaat el Islamiya for war crimes committed during the 1971 civil war with Pakistan. This has made sectarian tensions exceptionally high as members of JeI are affiliated with the BNP.

But this attack is unique in that it directly targeted foreigners rather than Bangladeshis. Alas, while previous attacks have mostly individual murders, this is the most deadly act of terror in the country’s history. The attack was especially shocking because it was an atypical attack in Bangladesh. Instead of targeting a bar or club, places routinely targeted by jihadists, the jihadists attacked a café, likely because of its location. The upscale Gulshan neighborhood is a popular destination for expatriates and diplomats and contains a large number of embassies. The neighborhood was considered to be quite safe, with most of the buildings fenced in, driveways gated, and security guard booths scattered around the neighborhood.

It is clear that attacking Gulshan, and specifically foreigners was meant to send the message that nowhere is safe. It shows that the Islamic State is not afraid to target westerners anywhere in the world; even in neighborhoods often considered to be safe.

It is also likely a play to destabilize Bangladesh, which has been seen as an attractive target by both IS and Al Qaeda due to growing sectarian tensions between the secular Awami League and its Islamist opposition. Bangladeshis who view growing secularism as a threat may begin to see Jihad a viable option. The perceived vulnerability of Bangladesh following the attacks may make foreign businessmen reconsider their decision to invest in Bangladesh, which is the second largest exporter of garments in the world after India. The attack may also cause westerners to reconsider travelling to Bangladesh, increasing the amount of countries perceived to be ridden with terror. Targeting of western influence and business investment has also been an attractive target in other countries where government regimes have cracked down on Islamist opposition, notably Egypt and Tunisia.