A gunman took an unknown number of people hostage inside a downtown Sydney chocolate shop and cafe at the height of Monday morning rush hour, with two people inside the cafe seen holding up a flag believed to contain an Islamic declaration of faith.
Sydney, Australia, Hostage Situation
![A injured hostage is wheeled to an ambulance after shots were fired during a cafe siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Dec. 16, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/33bcc1d0-6781-426a-aac1-aff29d6ac3b8_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A injured hostage is wheeled to an ambulance after shots were fired during a cafe siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Dec. 16, 2014.
![A injured hostage is carried to an ambulance after shots were fired during a cafe siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Dec. 16, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/07032494-4964-412e-89e5-98c142d6f978_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A injured hostage is carried to an ambulance after shots were fired during a cafe siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Dec. 16, 2014.
![Hostages run towards armed tactical response police as they run to freedom from a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Dec. 16, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/d8127267-0fee-44e6-a483-f795fef807fc_cx3_cy5_cw94_w1024_q10_r1_s.jpg)
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Hostages run towards armed tactical response police as they run to freedom from a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Dec. 16, 2014.
![A hostage runs to armed tactical response police officers for safety after she escaped from a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/f49b8085-0164-446c-8191-d5cc1e5d9387_cx0_cy14_cw0_w1024_q10_r1_s.jpg)
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A hostage runs to armed tactical response police officers for safety after she escaped from a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014.
![A hostage runs toward a police officer outside Lindt cafe, where other hostages are being held, in Martin Place in central Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/74917c97-3c5d-424e-ba0d-04455fde0255_cx8_cy6_cw88_w1024_q10_r1_s.jpg)
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A hostage runs toward a police officer outside Lindt cafe, where other hostages are being held, in Martin Place in central Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.
![This image taken from video shows a man believed to be a gunman inside a cafe in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/8a164df2-8389-4473-bedf-d50622f9e2c9_cx0_cy7_cw0_w1024_q10_r1_s.jpg)
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This image taken from video shows a man believed to be a gunman inside a cafe in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.
![This image taken from video shows people holding up hands inside a cafe in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/1c6de05a-26ec-4d17-955f-4cfff6cb7cac_cx0_cy9_cw0_w1024_q10_r1_s.jpg)
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This image taken from video shows people holding up hands inside a cafe in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.
![An armed tactical response police officer grabs a hostage as she flees from a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/c3593ea6-6a19-4666-9fd8-1299121f72d3_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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An armed tactical response police officer grabs a hostage as she flees from a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.
![Armed police officers point as they stand at the ready close to a cafe under siege at Martin Place in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/45cae40c-4537-4dd3-a5a1-9035f315f405_cx0_cy7_cw0_w1024_q10_r1_s.jpg)
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Armed police officers point as they stand at the ready close to a cafe under siege at Martin Place in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.
![A woman is assisted as a group of people are evacuated by police from a building next to Lindt cafe in Martin Place, where hostages are being held, in central Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.](https://gdb.voanews.com/4e33b7f5-c3ea-4e60-a7dc-7a57c56878b1_cx0_cy8_cw0_w1024_q10_r1_s.jpg)
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A woman is assisted as a group of people are evacuated by police from a building next to Lindt cafe in Martin Place, where hostages are being held, in central Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2014.