YEREVAN. – Around 100 hours have passed since a group of armed men stormed into a capital city Yerevan police station, and took several police officers hostage in Armenia. 

Even though the situation is calm at the moment, clashes had begun between police and protesters nearby the said police station, on Wednesday at around 9:30pm.

Everything started when the demonstrators demanded from police to solve the food problem of the said armed group. But they received no response, and clashes ensued between them.

As of Thursday 2:30am, the number of people taken to hospitals as a result of the clashes is 51, and 28 of them are police officers. 

In addition, the protesters turned large waste containers into barricades, and a group of other demonstrators closed off a key intersection nearby.

At around 4am, however, police began to clear the street running in front of the said police station from the demonstrators. Law enforcement started quickly detaining protesters, but force was used against some people. 

As a result of these police actions, no protesters were left on the said street.

Protesters were also detained from two other nearby streets.

A group of armed men stormed into a Yerevan police patrol regiment, on early morning on July 17, and took several police officers hostage. Deputy regiment commander Artur Vanoyan was killed, and four other officers of the law plus one of the attackers were wounded during the ensuing gunfire exchange. 

Negotiations are still underway to release all hostages and end the armed resistance.

The gunmen demand the release of Jirair Sefilian, an imprisoned radical opposition activist.