Armenian Police Station Attacked; 1 Dead, Hostages Taken

Armenian Police Station Attacked; 1 Dead, Hostages Taken
Armenian police and special force secure the area around a police station in Yerevan, Armenia, Sunday, July 17, 2016. Armenia security forces say a group of armed men has attacked a central police station in the Armenian capital, killing one officer, wounding two and taking others hostage. Aram Kirakosyan/PAN Photo via AP
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YEREVAN, Armenia—About 20 armed supporters of a jailed opposition leader attacked a police station in Armenia’s capital on Sunday, killing one officer, wounding four and taking several others hostage, police said.

The attackers demanded the release of Jirair Sefilian, who was arrested last month, and the opposition group repeated its call for the government to resign.

Police cordoned off the area around the station in Yerevan’s Erebuni district, bringing in armored vehicles and construction equipment to block the road, and said negotiations were being conducted with the assailants for them to give themselves up and release the hostages.

“If they don’t listen to our appeal, we will neutralize them, because killers cannot be dealt with in any other way,” said Armenia’s deputy police chief, Unan Pogosian. “But for now we are continuing the negotiations.”

Armenian police detain an unidentified man in Yerevan, Armenia, June 17, 2016.(Hrant Khachatryan/ PAN Photo via AP)
Armenian police detain an unidentified man in Yerevan, Armenia, June 17, 2016.Hrant Khachatryan/ PAN Photo via AP