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COLOMBO, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka which killed at least 20 civilians.
In a letter to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sirisena said that the government and people of Sri Lanka stood in solidarity with the government and people of Bangladesh in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism and stressed the need for urgent and sustained regional and global cooperation to eliminate the menace of terrorism.
"It was with great shock that I learned of the terrorist act and hostage-taking in the diplomatic conclave in Dhaka, Bangladesh in which at least 20 innocent civilians, including 2 Sri Lankan expatriates, were taken hostage," he said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Bangladesh for the speedy recovery of those who were injured, including the members of the Bangladesh military and police, who risked their lives in carrying out their duties in the rescue operation."
Sirisena further said that the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been closely monitoring the situation and was coordinating with the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Dhaka in providing necessary assistance to the two Sri Lankans who are presently receiving medical assistance after being rescued from the attack.
Condolence messages have poured in from leaders all over the world to the Bangladeshi government and public as militants killed at least 20 hostages in a siege in a cafe in Dhaka which lasted for over 12 hours.
The Bangladesh army said that most of the hostages who had been killed were foreigners, mainly from Italy and Japan.
The gunmen had stormed into the cafe which was in a diplomatic zone at peak hour on Friday night when diners were gathering to break their fast in the holy month of Ramadan.
13 people were rescued in the operation which included two Sri Lankans and one Japanese.
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Enditem
