US embassy families in Bangladesh given option to leave following terror attack

The family members of the US government personnel posted to the embassy in Dhaka can leave the Bangladesh capital if they desire as the State Department has issued travel warning following the terror attack.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 11 July 2016, 06:29 PM
Updated : 11 July 2016, 06:29 PM

The State Department said it had “authorized the voluntary departure of family members of U.S. government personnel posted to the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka”.

The embassy remains open, the statement said.

On Monday, it warned Americans to consider carefully whether they need to travel to Bangladesh following a series of attacks claimed by Islamist militants.

"The U.S. government assesses that the terrorist threat is real and credible," the department said in a statement.

On July 1, at least five Bangladeshi men stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery, a cafe popular with foreigners, businessmen and diplomats, and killed 20 customers, including nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian and a US citizen.

The Islamic State has claimed credit for the attack.

The Middle East-based terror group and al-Qaeda have made competing claims for a series of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in Bangladesh in the past year.

The government has dismissed those claims and insists that the violence is homegrown.