Dhaka – The United States has offered Bangladesh to assist rooting out terrorism after the South Asian country experienced the deadliest ever assault Friday that left at least 28 people, officials said Sunday.

US President Barack Obama, who strongly condemned the dastardly terrorist attack on a cafe in Dhaka, and made the offer.

The US is ready to provide any assistance that Bangladesh needs to root out terrorism and militancy, said Ihsanul Karim, Press Secretary to Prime Minister, after US Secretary of State made a phone call to premier Sheikh Hasina.

“US Secretary of State John Kerry conveyed this to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when he talked to her by phone this (Sunday) evening,” Karim told reporters.

On behalf of the US President, Kerry said the United States is ready to provide any assistance to Bangladesh in stamping out terrorism and militancy, according to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha news agency.

Barack Obama, he said, strongly denounced the Friday night’s barbaric attack on Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan and expressed sympathy to the families of those were killed and injured in the attack.

In reply, the Prime Minister thanked both the US President and the Secretary of State. She said the United States could help Bangladesh by providing investigative information.

Hasina told Kerry that her government has formed a “counterterrorism unit” of the Police to fight terrorism and militancy.

The Premier also extended her thanks to Obama for always staying beside Bangladesh.

Twenty hostages were brutally killed during the siege at Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan before the commandoes stormed the cafe on Saturday morning.

Of the civilian victims, nine were Italian, seven Japanese, one Indian, two Bangladeshis and one Bangladeshi born US citizen.

Two police officers were killed when they tried to rescue the hostages.

The troopers killed six terrorists and captured one as they stormed the cafe after the militants holed up overnight Friday killing 20 hostages inside the Spanish restaurant.

Thirteen hostages were rescued during the operation Saturday morning.

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