Reuters / Thilo Schmuelgen
UPDATE: German police have apprehended an assailant who took hostage the woman. The hostage sustained light injuries and was taken care of. The attacker, who also received injures, was detained.
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German police has reported a hostage situation near the main railway station in Cologne. According to local media, a large group of security forces, with heavy presence of officers armed with submachine guns, has been deployed on site.
“We assume that a hostage has been taken, either at McDonald’s or at a nearby pharmacy,” Reuters quoted a police spokeswoman. “A woman is probably being held but we don’t have any further details.”
The suspect is repotedlyarmed, but his identity is yet to be established, according to police. It is unknown at this stage if the perpetrator has any terrorist connections.
So far, police have evacuated the area and Germany’s leading railway company has announced that it is suspending trains arriving.
According to reports, security forces are preparing for a possible hostage resuce operation.
The stuation is developing.
