Details added (first version posted on 16:41)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 16
Trend:
Three people are being held hostage by a criminal, who took hostages Jan. 16 at a post office in the Paris suburb of Colombes, the RIA Novosti agency reported citing the radio station RTL.
Reportedly, the criminal is armed with an assault rifle and a pistol, and is carrying a few grenades.
The post office was cordoned off by law enforcement officials, and a helicopter was deployed.
A series of terrorist attacks and emergency situations shocked France on Jan. 7 with the attack on the office of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. Following this, on Jan. 8, a policewoman was attacked in the suburb of Paris.
The next day, the criminals took hostages in Paris and the commune of Dammartin-en-Goele. Some 17 people, including three policemen, were killed in three days.
During two special operations on Jan. 9, three terrorists were killed.
Hayat Boumediene, suspected of involvement in the terrorist acts, managed to flee to Syria, according to media reports.