Hostage crisis at Arles Prison: Inmate seizes staff with sharp weapon

Shafaq News/ On Friday, French police sources reported that five hostages are being held in Arles Prison in the south of the country.

“An inmate armed with a sharp weapon is holding four nurses and a guard,” a prison source informed AFP, adding that “the man has a history of psychological crises.”

The French news site BFM reported that “emergency teams have been dispatched to the scene. They revealed that the inmate had taken several prison staff members hostage in the central prison of Arles.”

According to media reports, the inmate exploited a medical appointment to seize members of the medical staff, along with a prison employee.

This is not the first time the central prison in Arles has been the site of similar incidents. In 2013, a guard was taken hostage for several hours by an inmate, who eventually surrendered.

The central prison in Arles is not the only facility affected by security issues. In May 2024, a hostage situation occurred at the Aix-Luynes Prison Complex, resulting in injuries to two individuals.