World

 A French police official says that a gunman who had taken four people hostage in a bank in Toulouse has been captured, and the hostages released.

Regional police official Frederic Tamisier says the hostage-taker was lightly injured in the operation to capture him. The hostages were unharmed, he said.

The announcement came soon after a series of gunshots were heard from the area of the bank.

Authorities say the gunman had psychiatric problems in the past and claimed he was acting for religious reasons. French media reports said he claimed allegiance to al-Qaida.