Gunmen release third captive in Yerevan

PanARMENIAN.Net - The armed group that stormed a police HQ in Yerevan and took everyone inside hostage on Sunday, July 17 released one of the captives overnight, Sputnik Armenia reports.

The gunmen are members of the Sasna Tsrer movement. One police officer was killed, and three more were wounded in a shootout that broke as the members of the group hit the gates of the police department with a Ural truck. Three captives have been set free so far, with perhaps five police officers still held hostage. The group demands the release of Jirair Sefilian, the founder of the Founding Parliament who was arrested on June 20, as he and a group of people planned to seize premises and communication facilities, including the Yerevan TV tower, the NSS said then.

According to the gunmen, they did that as a gesture of goodwill.

Five people are currently being held hostage inside the police premises, including Deputy Chief of Yerevan Police Valery Osipyan and deputy chief of police Vardan Yeghiazaryan.

The National Security Service said earlier that two hostages were freed after the NSS’ special operations.

Read also:Gunmen seize police HQ in Yerevan: 1 killed, 4 wounded