Police storm Sydney cafe, freeing hostages

The hostage situation at a Sydney cafe has ended, The Associated Press reports.

Gunshots were heard as police stormed the cafe, and hostages were seen fleeing, according to local reports.

Authorities said that two hostages and their captor were killed during the operation, and that four others had been wounded.

{mosads}The crisis began on Monday in Sydney — Sunday evening on the East Coast — when a single gunman entered the cafe and locked the doors. Five other hostages fled during the course of the standoff.

Shortly after the gunman entered the restaurant, hostages were seen pressed up against a window holding a flag that has been used by various jihadi groups.

Police identified the gunman as Man Haron Monis. They said he had a prior criminal record.

Australia has been particularly concerned about so-called lone wolf attacks, where a terrorist sympathizer acts without the close direction of a terrorist groups, after an operative of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) called for Australian supporters to carry out public beheadings.

U.S. officials had been keeping a close eye on the hostage situation, with President Obama briefed on the standoff by terrorism adviser Lisa Monaco.

This story was updated at 5:14 p.m.