Hostages seen running out of Sydney siege cafe

SYDNEY - Hostages were shown running out of a Sydney cafe at the centre of a siege on Monday, according to Channel 7 live news footage.

The footage showed a small number of people leaving the Lindt cafe, including one wearing a Lindt apron, as armed police moved closer to the door.

An armed assailant was holding an unknown number of hostages inside the cafe, police said, with local television showing some being forced to hold up a black flag with white Arabic writing in the window.