Man Holds Hostages in French Supermarket, Claims Allegiance to ISIS

Hostages have been taken at the Super U supermarket in Trèbes, France. Archive photo. Screenshot via GoogleMaps

TOULOUSE, France—There are two victims in a hostage taking at a supermarket in Trebes southern France, the mayor of the town said on Friday March 23 as La Depeche du midi newspaper reported one person was dead.

The condition of the two victims was not immediately known.

BFM TV said the hostage-taker has claimed allegiance to Islamic State.

Mayor Eric Ménassi told BFM TV that the hostage taker was now alone with one police officer in the supermarket and all other hostages had been freed.

A source at the Paris prosecutor’s office said counter-terrorism prosecutors were investigating the hostage-taking.

The local prefecture confirmed the hostage-taking at the Super U supermarket but did not confirm the Islamic State allegiance.

Earlier, France’s Interior Ministry had said security officials were carrying out an operation at a supermarket in southern France, but gave no details.

The UNSA police union also said on Twitter a police operation was underway after an individual had earlier shot at four officers in the Carcassone region injuring one of them.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe described the situation, which investigators are treating as terrorism, as “very serious” and Interior Minister Gerard Collomb is heading to the site, his ministry said.

More to follow.

The town of Trebes, south of Toulouse. Screenshot via GoogleMaps

Reporting by Johanna Decorse in Toulouse, Leigh Thomas, Emmanuel Jarry and Bate Felix in Paris

The Epoch Times contributed to this report

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