July 18, 2016 - 12:02 AMT
NSS: Two more captives released after negotiations

The armed group that stormed a police HQ in Yerevan and took everyone inside hostage on Sunday, July 17 released two more captives overnight, the National Security Service 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 track. Five captives have been set free so far. 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 planned to seize premises and communication facilities, including the Yerevan TV tower.

According to the NSS, “as a result of negotiations and special measures, a police officer being kept hostage and an ambulance driver were set free.”

According to the report, the gunmen refuse to release other captives, including top police officials, failing to lay down arms and surrender to the Armenian authorities.

One more captive was released overnight, with two more having been set free earlier.

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