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Armenian gunmen release all hostages after standoff with gov't: media

Xinhua, July 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

A group of gunmen Saturday released all the police officers they had taken hostage six days ago in exchange for setting up a press booth, local media reported.

According to the local Shant TV, of the four remaining hostages, two policeman were released earlier Saturday morning. The other two, namely Armenian Deputy Chief of Police Vardan Yeghiazaryan, and Yerevan Deputy Chief of Police Valery Osipyan, were also freed later in the afternoon.

The preparation for the press booth was underway, said Shant TV.

Vitali Balasanyan, a veteran of Armenia, reportedly served as the intermediary and organized a meeting between the militants and the director of the National Security Service of Armenia, Georgi Kutoyan.

An armed opposition group stormed and seized the headquarters of a police station in Khorenatsi Street in Yerevan on July 17, killing one policeman, injuring several and holding a number of police officers as hostages that included the country's deputy police chief.

The gunmen demanded the release of their leader, Jirair Sefilyan, who was arrested in June on suspicion of having tried to topple the government. They also urged President Serzh Sargsyan to resign and transfer his power to the "Committee of People's Trust."

On Wednesday, a rally held close to the seized police building ended with the protesters' clashing with police. Demonstrators began to throw rocks at the police officers, after their appeal to let opposition leaders enter the police station so as to take meals to the gunmen inside received no answer from the government.

In response, the police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least 51 people were wounded and 136 arrested in the confrontation.

Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan on Thursday condemned the assault on the police, saying "what happened is impermissible and condemnable."

On Friday, President Sargsyan also urged the gunmen to disarm and end the standoff in a peaceful manner, since the "problems will not be solved ... through violence and hostage-taking."

He also vowed to take all measures possible to calm the situation, adding a comprehensive investigation will be made to safeguard "the rule of law" in the country. Endi