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Hostages seized at French store Hostages freed after French siege
(20 minutes later)
Three men, armed and dressed in black, are holding a number of hostages at a supermarket in the suburbs of Paris, according to French news reports. A French hostage siege is over, local media say, several hours after armed men took six people captive at a supermarket in the suburbs of Paris.
Police said a gang of men attacked the Lidl discount store in Sevran, north of the capital, at around 0800 (0600 GMT).Police said a gang of men attacked the Lidl discount store in Sevran, north of the capital, at around 0800 (0600 GMT).
They were originally thought to have taken six people hostage, but at least three of those, including two women, are now reported to have been released. Police surrounded the scene and made contact with the hostage-takers. The captives were released gradually over the following few hours.
It is not known what the motive of the armed men is. Two hostage-takers were arrested, AFP news agency said.
"They are still inside. The police are here and have surrounded the building," the mayor of Sevran, Stephane Gatignon, told the AFP news agency. The agency said two suspects were seen emerging from the store with their hands in the air, before being handcuffed and taken away by police.
The local police chief was in telephone contact with one of the hostage-takers, a police spokesman told the French news website 20minutes.fr. It is not known what the motive of the armed men was.
Witnesses said all surrounding roads were closed off and the scene was swarming with police.Witnesses said all surrounding roads were closed off and the scene was swarming with police.
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