Protesters, police clash over hostage crisis

At least 50 people, including 25 police officers, were wounded in Armenia after a night of clashes between police and protests linked to a four-day hostage standoff, the country’s health ministry said.

Police said 136 people had been detained during Wednesday’s violence in the capital, Yerevan, local journalist Roubina Margossian said.

Demonstrators reportedly attacked police deployed outside a station where gunmen have been holding four officers hostage since Sunday morning.

The gunmen have demanded the resignation of President Serzh Sarkisian and the release of Jirair Sefilian, a jailed opposition leader and former military commander, who was arrested in June.