YEREVAN. – Several hundred demonstrators gathered on Khorenatsi Street in Yerevan not far from the police regiment that has been under control of an armed group since Sunday.
The protesters are trying to hand over food to the members of the armed group.
Political and public figures, Armenian intellectuals are on Khorenats Street as well. The situation is relatively calm.
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.
Clashes had begun between police and protesters nearby the Yerevan police station, which an armed group has taken over on July 17, on Wednesday at around 9:30pm.
Police threw stun grenades, took special measures, and used tear gas to disperse protesters.
As of Thursday 2:30am, the number of people taken to hospitals as a result of these clashes was 51, and 28 of them were police officers.
At around 4am, 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. Journalists were affected, too.
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.
