France

At least one dead in hostage-taking in France

In the French Normandy armed men have kidnapped several people. At least one hostage was killed by stab wounds. The alleged perpetrators were shot dead by the special forces of the police.

The fact was played out in a Church near Rouen, in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray. Two knife-wielding men took there, according to police, several hostages. At least one person was killed. According to the news Agency AFP reports citing police circles, is a priest. Another freed hostage floats according to the Ministry of the interior even danger to life.

What Priest hostage killed in #SaintEtienneduRouvray church siege, police sources tell French media https://t.co/bDrdFDa4n3

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) 26. July 2016

In the meantime, the hostage situation is over: special units of the police would have shot the Gangster, informed the Ministry of the interior. The men had several persons in their violence: the parish priest, two nuns, and two other believers. They had stormed the Church during the Morning service.

Hollande rushes in Normandy

President François Hollande and interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve are on the way to the scene of the crime. About the background of the crime, there is so far no information. The Anti-Terror-state of Walt in Paris drew the investigations.

In this Church, and the alleged perpetrators brought the hostages to their violence

Prime Minister Manuel Valls spoke in the short message service Twitter as a “barbaric attack” and added: “the Whole of France, and all Catholics have been violated. We stand together.”

Horreur face à l’attaque barbare d’une église de Seine-Maritime. La France entière et tous les catholiques sont meurtris. Nous ferons bloc.

— Manuel Valls (@manuelvalls) 26. July 2016

Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray has just under 30,000 inhabitants. The city is located in the Département of Seine-Maritime, ten miles South of Rouen on the Seine.

jj/ml (dpa, afp, ap, bbc)