43 hostages freed in Georgia

SANAA, Oct. 22 (YPA) – The Georgia Interior Ministry announced Thursday that all the hostages have been released in a special operation after gunmen took over a Bank branch in the western city of Zugdidi.

Georgia’s national Mtavari TV channel reported the captor was armed with a hand grenade and aired footage of a room with people sitting on the floor and a man dressed in a military uniform and covering his face while holding a rifle.

On Wednesday evening, several Georgian TV channels said the assailant left the building taking three hostages with him and his whereabouts were unknown

Two TV channels aired footage of the alleged captor coming out of the building with three men in front of him.

“The authorities are continuing intensive investigations and search work to arrest the criminal.”

Interior Ministry announced earlier in the day that 43 hostages had been released in a special operation after gunmen took over the Bank of Georgia branch in the western city of Zugdidi.

E.M