Yerevan: Two gunmen wounded in police fire overnight

PanARMENIAN.Net - On Tuesday, July 26, at around 2:00 am, the police opened fire from behind a fence near the seized patrol HQ, shooting two of the gunmen – Ashot Petrosyan and Hovhannes Harutyunyan – in the foot, the press Service of the Founding Parliament said.

They are members of the Sasna Tsrer movement. One police officer was killed, and several more were wounded in a shootout that broke as the members of the group hit the gates of the police department with a track. All the captives have been set free. The group demand the release of Jirair Sefilian, the founder of the Founding Parliament who was arrested on June 20, as he and a group of people had allegedly planned to seize premises and communication facilities, including the Yerevan TV tower. They also demand the resignation of President Serzh Sargsyan and the creation of a transitional government.

Two incidents occurred overnight, the press service said.

“The police opened fire towards us at night, wounding two of our fellow members,” it said.

“At around 7:00 am, Artur Sargsyan rode and broke through the police barricade and reached the entrance of the liberated area, with his car loaded with food. Though the police started shooting from all sides, he managed to successfully deliver the food.”

By saying the liberated area, the group refer to the territory of the police department they seized over a week ago.

On Monday evening, Sasna Tsrer set fire to two police vehicles, having burned another one the previous night.