Minister of Internal Affairs: MIA, gov't did everything for 43 hostages. Our first task was to ensure that no one was injured
Minister of Internal Affairs: MIA, gov't did everything for 43 hostages. Our first task was to ensure that no one was injured

“The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA), our government did everything for the 43 hostages. Our first task was to ensure that no one was injured”, said the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Vakhtang Gomelauri.

As Gomelauri noted, yesterday was a difficult day for everyone, for the hostages and for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“I can not say anything about the investigation, one word can interfere with the investigation, we have released 43 hostages, the second stage is to arrest and punish this person,” Gomelauri said.

An armed man attacked the Bank of Georgia branch in Zugdidi and took 43 citizens as a hostage on Wednesday.

The attacker, who kept the hostages for over seven hours, demanded half a million USD and security guarantees.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said as a result of a special police operation, all hostages have been released and their lives and health are no longer in danger.

Law enforcers continue intensive operative-investigative and search activities in order to arrest the assailant.