On Tuesday, a hostage situation in Roubaix in Northern France has left several people shot and possibly wounded. Authorities have been quick to debunk any idea that the hostage-takers are related to the attacks in Paris on November 13. The hostage situation, CBC reports, is thought to be the result of a failed robbery attempt of a bank, leading the authorities to believe that this is not an act of terrorism. So far, few details about the situation have been released, but it is possible that the manager of the bank and his family are being held hostage.
(Update: Authorities have confirmed that the hostage situation is over and not linked to terrorism, and that all the hostages were freed.)
Although little is known about the attackers themselves, the town of Roubaix, close to Belgium, is best known for the Paris-Roubaix cycling race, a yearly race which began in 1896 and was made famous by the cobble of the streets at the end. Paris remains on high alert in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, with French president Francois Hollande meeting today with President Obama in D.C. to discuss how France and the U.S. can help mutually ensure the safety of their countries by sharing intelligence.
Several photos reveal the magnitude of the situation, although information about the identities of the attackers has not yet been released:
