France holdup LIVE: Gunmen hold 18 people hostage in Paris store

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French police report gunmen have taken 18 hostages in a shopping centre on the outskirts of Paris.

Authorities said the gunmen barricaded themselves in the Primark shop in Villeneuve-la-Garenne just north of central Paris.

Special Forces have been dispatched to the scene.

According to early reports two or three armed men entered the Primark in an attempted robbery at 6:30 this morning as the first employees were arriving.

    A platoon of elite French special forces, known as RAID, has been dispatched to the store
    an employee of the store managed to send a mobile text to a friend to raise the alarm about the hostage situation
    The Primark store is located in the Qwartz shopping mall of Villeneuve-la-Garenne
    18 employees have been evacuated
    Police believed to be negotiating with the gunmen who have not yet been arrested

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/france-hostage-situation-live-gunman-holds-10-people-paris-store-1510543

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BREAKING: Gunmen on run after terrorist police save 18 hostages from Paris Primark

ARMED men are on the run after 18 hostages in a Paris Primark hold-up were rescued today by French special forces, police say.
By Alix Culbertson

Police were seen storming the shopping centre where hostages were being held in a Primark

A total of 18 people have been evacuated from the Qwartz shopping centre where the budget store is by anti-terrorist police after gunmen held the store up earlier today.

But up to three gunmen are now on the run as they are hunted by police.

Police reported the hold-up in Villeneuve-la-Garenne in the northern suburbs of Paris this morning and said they believe two or three men were holding up the shop.

A police source, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: "Around 6:30 am (0530 GMT), two or three armed criminals went into the Primark store for what we think was initially an attempt at armed robbery."

Television images showed several helmeted elite police officers entering a side door of the shopping centre mid-morning.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/590700/Gunmen-hostages-Paris-Primark