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Reports: Hostages Held In Cafe In Sydney, Australia

Multiple hostages are apparently being held at a chocolate shop and cafe in Sydney, Australia, according to numerous media outlets.

The Associated Press reports:

"New South Wales state police say they are dealing with "an armed incident," though they will not confirm hostages are being held inside the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney. ... Police say "specialist officers are attempting to make contact (with) those inside a cafe. "TV footage shows two people inside the cafe holding up what appeared to be a black flag with white Arabic writing on it."

"We don't yet know if this is politically motivated, although there are some indications that it might be," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said of the situation, according to Reuters.

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Nearby offices have been evacuated, and police have sealed off Martin Place, the central business district where the Lindt cafe is located.

The United States has evacuated its consulate in the city and issued an warning to Americans in Sydney, Reuters reports.

Events are still unfolding; we'll update this post as news comes in.

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