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During negotiations on the night of July 17-18, two hostages, a policeman and a civilian (the ambulance driver) were released, the National Security Service of Armenia (NSS) states.

“However, the gunmen refuse to release other hostages, including senior police officials, lay down their arms and surrender to the authorities.

As a result of their actions, the lives and health of the hostages are threatened. The terrorists, who have already committed several crimes and have a large quantity of arms and ammunition at their disposal, are a direct threat not only to the hostages but also to the public.

Representatives of competent state bodies are doing their best to resolve this situation in a peaceful way, yet their efforts might not be enough in the current circumstances. We therefore urge the members of the armed group to refrain from criminal actions resulting in new victims and other severe consequences and to stop the armed resistance. There is still time and opportunity for that,” the NSS statement reads.