End of Hostage Crisis on Swiss Train; Police: The Hostage-Taker Was an Iranian Asylum Seeker

Swiss police announced on Friday, February 9, that a 32-year-old Iranian asylum seeker, armed with an axe and a knife, had taken 15 people hostage on a train between Boulens and Yverdon-les-Bains for approximately four hours, and was killed following a police assault on the train. According to Reuters, the Vaud cantonal police stated in a press release, 'All hostages were released unharmed.' The statement noted that the assailant was severely injured during the police attack. The police did not provide any details regarding the possible motivations of the perpetrator. Earlier, according to the Barron's website, Jean-Christophe Satterl, spokesperson for the Vaud cantonal police, said at a press conference that the hostage-taker was armed with an axe and a knife and spoke both Persian and English, but at this stage of the investigation, there is no information regarding the motives behind the crime. He stated that the man was shot by a police officer after he attacked with the axe. In total, 15 hostages, including 14 passengers and the train conductor, were taken hostage, and the crisis lasted nearly four hours from around 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM. The police spokesperson mentioned that the suspect forced the train driver, who had stopped near Yverdon, to join the passengers, and they informed the police about the hostage situation. According to Mr. Satterl, while negotiations with the suspect were partially conducted via WhatsApp with the assistance of a Persian-speaking translator in Iran, authorities executed an operation to keep the suspect away from the hostages.