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Two remaining hostages released in Yerevan - source

They are deputy head of Armenia’s police - Major-General Vartan Yegiazyarian and deputy head of the Yerevan police - Colonel Valery Osipyan.

YEREVAN, July 23. /TASS/. Two remaining hostages were released in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan, a source at the republic’s law enforcement authorities told TASS on Saturday.

Read also

PM says Yerevan doing its best for peaceful end to hostage standoff

"The two remaining hostages were released," the source said. "They are deputy head of Armenia’s police - Major-General Vartan Yegiazyarian and deputy head of the Yerevan police - Colonel Valery Osipyan."

Earlier on Saturday, the Armenian opposition’s Gala TV channel said two young policemen had been released. "The group is releasing two hostages as a good-will gesture," the television channel said.

Attack on police regiment and attackers’ demands

On July 17, according to the local police, about 30 radical opposition supporters riding a Kraz truck rammed into the gates of the Armenian patrol and inspection police regiment in and burst into the regiment’s territory. As a result of the shootout, the injured were reported on both sides.

The armed persons took hostage both the patrol and inspection police personnel and police officials who had arrived at the scene for negotiations. The insurgents were demanding that the authorities released Sefilyan who was arrested in June on suspicion of organizing an armed group that had been preparing a seizure of the Yerevan TV Center and other important facilities. For several days, the opposition continues rallies near the seized police station warning the authorities against use of force to liberate hostages and arrest the armed group.

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