Parents and children reunited after nursery siege

13/12/10 18:38 CET

world news

| |

French police have freed the final five nursery school pupils and their teacher taken hostage by a suicidal teenager.

The 17-year old, armed with two butchers knifes, burst into the building in the eastern city of Besançon and took 20 children hostage as they arrived at the start of the school day.

He was known to suffer from psychological problems.

Elite police moved in and negotiators spent the morning talking to the youth by telephone as parents waited anxiously outside.

The teenager was finally overpowered after police used a stun gun.

The ordeal at the Charles Fourier school lasted four hours until the unharmed children were reunited with their relieved parents.

More about: France, Hostage taking

| |

Salafists clash with police in Tunisia after rally is banned

Police have clashed with hardline Islamists in Tunisia after the government banned their annual rally. The Salafist Ansar al-Sharia group, who openly support Al Qaeda, were due to hold the gathering in the central city of Kairouan but told their Facebook followers to gather in…