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It’s been more than 24 hours that a group of gunmen identifying themselves as “The Daredevils of Sassoun” hold a group of policemen hostages at the Police HQ in Erebuni, Yerevan. Law-enforcement units have surrounded the area. No incidents have been recorded during the night. Chief of the RA Police, Vladimir Gasparyan visited the police HQ .

The gunmen demand to set free Jirair Sefilian, an opposition figure arrested and accused for illegal procurement of weapons with intention for organizing a criminal group to stage armed uprising in the state.
The National Security Service of Armenia announced that in the scope of negotiations, representatives of competent state bodies were trying to persuade the terrorists to avoid further actions threatening the life and the health of the people, to free the hostages, lay down their weapons and surrender to the authorities without resistance.

In the afternoon of July 17, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan conducted a meeting with the representatives of the law enforcement bodies at the Presidential Palace. It was stressed that law enforcement bodies fully control the situation and are taking up all necessary measures to resolve the situation, reads the statement.

Deputy police chief, Artur Vanoyan was killed and four people have been wounded during the attack on the police HQ.