Several people held hostage at local bar in Netherlands town, homes evacuated

Several people were taken hostage in a Netherlands town on Saturday while homes in the area were evacuated and the town centre closed down.

Among the hostages, three have been freed as the situation continues to unfold.

“Three hostages have just been released. The situation is not over yet,” police said.

Police, however, have struck off the possibility of a “terror motive” in the incident.

“A hostage situation involving several people is underway in a building in the centre of the town of Ede,” police had earlier said in a statement on X.

Several special police units had been deployed to the scene, a building in the centre of town, police said in a statement posted on social media. They added that 150 homes had been evacuated and the public was asked to stay away from the area.

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BREAKING: Multiple people taken hostage at bar in Ede in the Netherlands, city spokesperson says pic.twitter.com/54YohIjptq

— BNO News (@BNONews) March 30, 2024

According to the national newspaper de Telegraaf, an unspecified number of people were being held captive at the local Petticoat bar by a man with weapons and explosives.

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Authorities called on residents to avoid the town centre and train traffic was being diverted.

“We see there are many questions about the motive. At this time there is no indication of a terrorist motive,” police said.

All trains leading to and leaving from Ede have been cancelled, the railway operator said in a statement.

With inputs from agencies