- Sputnik International
Asia
Find top stories and features from Asia and the Pacific region. Keep updated on major political stories and analyses from Asia and the Pacific. All you want to know about China, Japan, North and South Korea, India and Pakistan, Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Sydney Siege Over: 3 Confirmed Dead, 6 Injured

© Fotobank.ru/Getty Images / Mark MetcalfeArmed policeman are seen outside Lindt Cafe
Armed policeman are seen outside Lindt Cafe - Sputnik International
Subscribe
The police operation to rescue hostages from the Lindt cafe in Sydney is over with three people confirmed dead and six injured.

MOSCOW, December 15 (Sputnik) — Australian police say the hostage rescue operation has ended with three people dead.

Armed police are seen outside the Lindt Cafe - Sputnik International
Asia
Live Updates: Sydney Siege Over
Gunfire erupted 2 a.m. local time (3:00 p.m. GMT on Monday) at the Lindt cafe in Sydney where a gunman was holding an unknown number of hostages.

Earlier several people had managed to escape the cafe.

A swarm of heavily armed police stormed the downtown cafe in an attempt to free the hostages.

Medics moved in and took away several injured people on stretchers, but it was not clear whether they included the gunman who had been named by a police source only minutes earlier as Man Haron Monis.

The NSW police confirmed via Twitter "the operation is over" but would not release any further details.

After the police moved in, one weeping woman was helped out by the officers and at least two other people were wheeled out on stretchers, Associated Press reports.

Police later officially confirmed the identity of the assailant as Man Haron Monis, a 49-year old Iranian refugee and self-styled Sheikh Haron, who is facing dozens of charges of sexual assault, Retures reported citing a police source.

Monis, also known as Manteghi Boroujerdi and Mohammad Hassan Manteghi, was found guilty of sending extremely offensive and threatening letters to relatives of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan and victims of terrorism, according to media reports.

Australia's New South Wales Police Force have confirmed the death of three people including the gunman, who died in hospital. The other two casualties include a 34-year old man and a 38-year old woman, who were fatally wounded while held hostage in the cafe and pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital, police stated at a press conference

The two deceased hostages were barrister Katrina Dawson, 38, and Tori Johnson, 34, Lindt cafe manager, the Guardian reported.

New South Wales Police later gave more details on Martin Place siege, reporting 3 people dead and 6 injured.

“A 75-year-old female who received a gunshot wound to the shoulder – stable condition.

A 52-year-old female who received a gunshot wound to the foot – stable condition.

A 43-year-old female with a gunshot wound to the leg – stable condition

A 39-year-old male who received a minor facial injury due to gunshot – treated at hospital and discharged.

A 35-year-old pregnant female assessed for health and welfare purposes — stable.

A 30-year-old pregnant female assessed for health and welfare purposes – stable,” NSW police wrote on its official website.

The police made a call to storm the Lindt cafe after hearing shots inside, Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said, adding that a critical incident investigation has been launched.

Man Haron Monis, the man police say was responsible for taking multiple hostages at a Sydney coffee shop on Monday - Sputnik International
Asia
Man Haron Monis: Anatomy of the Sydney Hostage Taker
"We need to actually find out what’s happened here and what’s happened inside that cafe. It’s not time to speculate or to develop theories. We are going to work through facts and we will advise you as soon as we can," the Guardian cited him as saying.

In response to a question regarding whether the hostages were shot by the gunman or by the police, Scipione did not provide a clear answer.

"Again, as a result of an exchange of gunfire inside those premises, police moved in. At this stage, as I’ve indicated we have a number of people that are injured and certainly we’re working through that as part of the critical incident," he said.

The police estimate that there were 17 hostages held at the cafe during the siege.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott released a statement following the Sydney siege, Mirror reported. "The National Security Committee of Cabinet will meet shortly to review the situation," Prime Minister was quoted as saying.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала