Gunmen have until 5:00 pm to surrender: National Security Service (video)

Gunmen have until 5:00 pm to surrender: National Security Service

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia's National Security Service announced on Sunday, July 30 that the armed group that seized a police HQ in Yerevan on July 17 have until 5:00 pm (GMT+4) to surrender to authorities.

The gunmen are members of the Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sassoun) movement. One police officer was killed, and several more were wounded in a shootout that broke as the members of the group hit the gates of the police department with a track. All the captives have been set free. The group demand the release of Jirair Sefilian, the founder of the Founding Parliament who was arrested on June 20, as he and a group of people had allegedly planned to seize premises and communication facilities, including the Yerevan TV tower. They also demand the resignation of President Serzh Sargsyan and the creation of a transitional government. Also, they want the authorities to halt Karabakh negotiations fearing they are going to cede some lands around the former Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast to Azerbaijan.

On July 27, the gunmen took 4 paramedics hostage, and released only one of them the next day.

The NSS said special forces of law enforcement agencies are otherwise authorized to open fire with no warning and neutralize the gunmen inside the occupied patrol regiment.

According to the NSS, on the evening of July 29 the gunmen used various weapons to open fire towards the law enforcement authorities near the seized police HQ, as well as houses situated nearby.

Also they threw stun grenades onto trucks in the police's cordoned-off area.

Besides, the NSS said, the armed group exploded a grenade in the territory of patrol regiment, later attempting to set fire to a bus nearby.

The Security Service said it has no intention of tolerate the situation that's becoming increasingly tense.

The law enforcement bodies opened retaliatory fire to silence the gunmen and thwart their attacks, the NSS said. According to preliminary data, police officers and members of Sasna Tsrer were wounded as a result.

“Following the incidents of late July 29, all the possibilities of reaching a peaceful settlement of the situation have been exhausted,” the NSS warned.

“Based on Armenia’s legislation and the current situation, the use of force is absolutely necessary to protect the civilians from attacks and thwart any assaults aimed at seizing weapons, as well as to release the captives and the captured buildings.”

“So the armed group have until 5:00 pm to surrender, or else law enforcement authorities will open fire and neutralize the gunmen,” it added.

Also, the Security Service warned that any attempt to enter the territory of the police HQ has been and will be viewed as complicity in terrorism, and all the attempts to break through the police cordon will be suppressed by all means provided by the law.

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