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| France church attack: Priest killed in hostage-taking near Rouen | France church attack: Priest killed in hostage-taking near Rouen |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A priest has been killed in an attack by two armed men at his church near Rouen in northern France, police and French media have said. | A priest has been killed in an attack by two armed men at his church near Rouen in northern France, police and French media have said. |
| The armed men entered the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray during Mass, taking the priest, Fr Jacques Hamel, 84, and four other people hostage. | |
| French TV said shots had been heard after police arrived at the scene. Both hostage-takers are now dead. | French TV said shots had been heard after police arrived at the scene. Both hostage-takers are now dead. |
| Pope Francis decried the "pain and horror of this absurd violence". | |
| French interior ministry spokesman, Pierre-Henri Brandet, said one of the hostages had been critically wounded. | French interior ministry spokesman, Pierre-Henri Brandet, said one of the hostages had been critically wounded. |
| He said the hostage-takers had been "neutralised" after coming out of the church. Police were now searching the church for explosives. | He said the hostage-takers had been "neutralised" after coming out of the church. Police were now searching the church for explosives. |
| The area has been cordoned off and police have told people to stay away. | |
| 'Barbaric' | 'Barbaric' |
| Mr Brandet said the motive of the attackers was not immediately clear, but the investigation into the incident would be led by anti-terrorism prosecutors. | Mr Brandet said the motive of the attackers was not immediately clear, but the investigation into the incident would be led by anti-terrorism prosecutors. |
| French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has expressed his horror at the "barbaric attack". | French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has expressed his horror at the "barbaric attack". |
| "The whole of France and all Catholics are wounded. We will stand together," he wrote on Twitter. | "The whole of France and all Catholics are wounded. We will stand together," he wrote on Twitter. |
| President Francois Hollande has arrived in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray to be briefed by police. | |
| The Archbishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun, who was attending a Catholic gathering in Poland, said: "I cry out to God with all men of goodwill. I would invite non-believers to join in the cry. | |
| "The Catholic Church cannot take weapons other than those of prayer and brotherhood among men." | |
| A woman who works at a local beauty parlour, Eulalie Garcia, said she had known the priest since her childhood. | |
| "My family has lived here for 35 years and we have always known him," she said. | "My family has lived here for 35 years and we have always known him," she said. |
| "He was someone who was treasured by the community. He was very discreet and didn't like to draw attention to himself." | "He was someone who was treasured by the community. He was very discreet and didn't like to draw attention to himself." |
| There was no immediate word on the identity of the hostage-takers, but France has been on high alert since the Bastille Day attack in Nice earlier this month, when a man ploughed a lorry into celebrating crowds, killing more than 80 people. | There was no immediate word on the identity of the hostage-takers, but France has been on high alert since the Bastille Day attack in Nice earlier this month, when a man ploughed a lorry into celebrating crowds, killing more than 80 people. |
| The Nice attack was carried out by Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who was not a known jihadist but so-called Islamic State said he had acted in response to its calls to target civilians in countries that have been attacking it. | The Nice attack was carried out by Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who was not a known jihadist but so-called Islamic State said he had acted in response to its calls to target civilians in countries that have been attacking it. |
| The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Paris says the French government has been under huge pressure to prevent further attacks. | The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Paris says the French government has been under huge pressure to prevent further attacks. |
| Are you in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray? Have you been affected by the hostage incident? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray? Have you been affected by the hostage incident? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| If you are available to talk to a BBC journalist, please include a telephone number. | If you are available to talk to a BBC journalist, please include a telephone number. |
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