18 Hostages Kidnapped At Primark Store

According to source some gunmen entered the Primark store in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, northwest of the French capital, at 6.30am local time.
French special forces are hunting three gunmen who took 18 hostages at a Primark store in Paris.

According to Le Figaro, a Primark employee sent a text message to a friend at 7am saying he was being held by two armed men.

Special police units surrounded the clothes store, police said. Shutters at other stores in the precinct remained closed.

Le Parisien newspaper said that up to 18 hostages had been held.

It is understood all have been released but the gunmen are at large.

The paper quoted witnesses who said people ran near the store screaming: "They are armed, they are armed."

A Primark spokesman said: "We can confirm that there has been an incident at our Quartz shopping centre store in northern Paris.

"Police are in attendance and media inquiries are being referred to them.

"We will do all we can to support our staff and their families. We hope for a speedy and safe end to this incident."

A police source said: "Around 6:30 am (0530 GMT), two or three armed criminals went into the Primark store for what we think was initially an attempt at armed robbery."