PARIS, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The police operation to tackle the hostage-taking at a bank office in the northern French port city of Le Havre ended without casualties, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced.

"The hostage-taker was arrested. The hostages are released and safe," the minister tweeted.

A man armed with a gun seized six hostages after he stormed a bank office at 17:00 local time (1500 GMT). One hostage had escaped.

Security forces cordoned off the area and elite RAID police officers were dispatched. After several hours of negotiations, all the hostages were gradually released. The author of the hostage-taking surrendered to the police, hoisting a white flag before being arrested.

The hostage-taker, 34, suffers mental health problems. He was known to police for common law delinquency and weapon-carrying, local media reported. Enditem