YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – About 20 armed supporters of a jailed opposition leader attacked a police station in Armenia’s capital on Sunday, killing one officer, wounding three 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 and said negotiations were being conducted with the assailants for them to give themselves up and the release of 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.”
He said the attackers killed Col. Artur Vanoyan and shot three other police officers, while none of the attackers was wounded.