Bangladeshi authorities deny ISIS tied to weekend killings in Dhaka

Bangladeshi authorities said Sunday that the attack that killed 20 people inside a Dhaka restaurant on Friday is not the work of the Islamic State.

Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told Reuters that the brutal killings inside a diplomatic sector of the city was the result of local militants rather than the work of the Islamic State, which on Saturday claimed responsibility for the assaults.

Seven gunmen took the restaurant before killing multiple hostages including one American, one Indian, four Bangladeshi, seven Japanese and nine Italian citizens. Three of the victims attended American universities.

Bangladeshi commandos rescued 13 people after a standoff that lasted approximately 10 hours.

Policemen stand guard along a road leading to the Holey Artisan Bakery and the O’Kitchen Restaurant after gunmen attacked, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 3, 2016. Photo By Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Khan said six assailants who were killed during the attack all were under the age of 22, and that they were tied to a group categorized as illegal under local law for years.

“They are members of the Jamaeytul Mujahdeen Bangladesh,” Khan said. “They have no connections with the Islamic State.”

Bangladeshi authorities reportedly attempted to arrest five of the perpetrators in the months leading up to the assault. Several of their names were released on Sunday.

The country’s Deputy Inspector General of Police Shahidur Rahman said many of the assailants attended private schools and were well-educated.

Attacks linked to ISIS have picked up in recent weeks, including suicide bombings at a Turkish airport last week that killed 45 people. At least 20 people with possible ties to ISIS have been arrested.