Several people being held hostage in Dutch town

Several hostages were detained in a town in central Netherlands on Saturday, according to the police, who confirmed that there were no indications of a terrorist motive for the incident, while homes were evacuated and the town center was closed.

The police said in a statement on X, "A hostage situation involving several individuals is taking place in a building in the center of the town of Ede."

The number of people detained has not yet been clarified, but local media estimated them to be between four and five.

The police reported establishing a security cordon around a café while about 150 households were evacuated to a safe location.

The municipality announced on its website that the town center was closed while riot police and explosives experts arrived at the scene.

AFP