France: special forces free hostages

Baku. 13 July. REPORT.AZ/ French special forces have freed 18 people who had been hiding in a mall near Paris after gunmen attacked a Primark store inside the centre, Report informs citing foreign media.

The armed men burst into the store at about 6.30am local time, in what police believe was a hold up.

Frightened employees are thought to have fled and taken refuge in a canteen in the mall, a police source said, adding authorities were still looking for the gunmen.

"Around 6.30 (09:30 Baku time), two or three armed criminals went into the Primark store for what we think was initially an attempt at armed robbery," a police source, who wished to remain anonymous, said of the incident at Villeneuve-la-Garenne.

He said special forces quickly found the hostages grouped together, but there was no sign of the gunmen.