Baku, Azerbaijan, July 18
Trend:
The armed group that seized a police station in Armenia's capital of Yerevan on July 17 is holding five people as hostages, RIA Novosti quoted Armenian deputy police chief, Unan Pogosyan as saying July 18.
Earlier in the day, local media reported that four individuals, including Armenia's deputy police chief Maj. Gen. Vardan Egiazaryan and Yerevan's deputy police chief Col. Valeri Osipyan, were held captive.
“The armed group refused to lay down their arms and surrender. They are now holding five hostages. Negotiations are ongoing. We hope for a peaceful outcome,” Pogosyan told reporters.
An armed group seized the headquarters of the police and interior troops in Erebuni, Yerevan, July 17, demanding the release of the participant of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, coordinator of the oppositional Armenian civil initiative ‘Founding Parliament’ Zhirayr Sefilyan.
He was arrested for illegally purchasing and storing weapons.
The government officials are holding talks with the armed group’s members.