Reuters
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NOS News•today, 13:43
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In Beirut, a man armed with a gun is holding bank employees hostage. He also threatens to set himself on fire if he cannot withdraw his savings.
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A customer who managed to flee the bank building tells local media that the man wants to withdraw about $ 200,000 for his father’s hospital bills.
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The Lebanese has a can of petrol, is holding six or seven people hostage and has fired three warning shots, a security official tells news agency AP. It is not known how many customers are inside the Federal Bank of Lebanon in the Hamra district.
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Images of the hostage-taking are circulating on Twitter:
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Man holds bank employees hostage in Beirut
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Soldiers, police officers and intelligence officials have gathered at the bank. Officers try to negotiate with the man, but to no avail.
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Strict withdrawal limits have been in place in Lebanon since 2019. The country has been in a severe economic crisis for years; two thirds of the population lives in poverty.
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