World

Militant attack on Bangladesh Eid festival kills 3, wounds 14

Militants on Thursday attacked Bangladeshi police guarding the country's biggest festival marking the end Ramadan, killing two policemen and wounding nine, days after IS claimed a major attack in the capital and warned of more violence.

The militants attacked a police post in Kishoreganj town, about 90 miles from the capital, Dhaka, with small bombs and then set upon police with "sharp weapons", said chief district administrator, Mohammad Azimuddin Biswas.

One policemen was killed in the blast and another was stabbed to death.

District council administrator Zillur Rahman said two attackers were killed.

Up to 300,000 people had gathered for a prayer service to mark the Eid al-Fitr festival in the town at the time of the violence, nearly a week after militants killed 20 people in an attack on a cafe in Dhaka claimed by IS.

It was not clear how many attackers had been involved but they were believed to have been young, probably in their early twenties, said police.