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Ghent Siege: Hostage taken in Belgium city after armed men storm apartment
Source: IBT
Four armed men have entered an apartment in the Belgian city of Ghent and authorities have closed the surrounding area.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that the four men have taken one male hostage but it is unknown whether the situation is related to the ongoing Sydney cafe hostage siege.
"They're in the building but it's not clear what's going on inside," a police spokesman said.
Belgian authorities have ordered residents in the city to remain indoors for safety reasons.
Read more: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ghent-siege-hostage-taken-belgium-city-after-armed-men-storm-apartment-1479544
2 replies
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Sitala Peek ?@SitalaPeek 1m1 minute ago
Facts still unclear in Ghent "hostage" situation but no suggestion of any link to IS or #sydneysiege http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30478231 …
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15 December 2014 Last updated at 05:50 ET
Belgium siege: Armed men enter Ghent apartment
Siege in Ghent Belgium's national authorities took charge of the police operation
Four armed men have entered a flat in the Belgian city of Ghent and police have sealed off the surrounding area.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that the four had taken a man hostage and police urged residents to remain indoors for their own safety.
The men burst into the flat in the Dampoort area of the city, in northern Belgium.
"They're in the building but it's not clear what's going on inside," a police spokesman said.
Local prosecutors said there was no indication of any link to terrorism or jihadist group Islamic State.
"This isn't the same sort of incident as the events in Sydney," spokeswoman Annemie Serlippens said.
The head of Ghent police Filip Rasschaert told De Standaard website that they were carrying out the operation carefully because of the potential involvement of a hostage. ........................
