Gunmen Keeping Five Hostages in Yerevan Police Station

EghtesadOnline: Armenian deputy police chief said the armed group that has seized a police station in Armenia's capital of Yerevan since Sunday is holding only five people as hostages.

News ID: ۷۶۸۲۶۸

18 July 2016

Armenian deputy police chief, Unan Pogosyan said that the hostages include the deputy chief of Armenian police major-General Vardan Yeghiazaryan and the deputy chief of Yerevan police, Colonel Valeri Osipyan, Azer News reported.

During the attack, a senior police commander, Colonel Arthur Vanoyan was killed, and four police officers were injured.

“The armed group refused to lay arms down and surrender to the authorities. Currently they hold five hostages. The talks continue. We hope for a peaceful outcome,” Pogosyan told journalists.

Since Sunday morning, a group of armed men have seized the police station and took hostages demanding release of opposition activist Jirayr Sefilyan, who was arrested nearly a month ago on charges of illegal possession of arms. The attackers also demanded resignation of the Armenian president.

Meanwhile, the Armenian police detained about 200 people to check them for a possible relationship with the hostage takers.