Brazil Bank Assaults

Armed robbers hit several banks in a small Brazilian city on Monday, using locals as human shields, leaving a trail of explosive devices and shooting at police in an assault that killed at least three people, a senior state security official said.

Twelve people -- including five hostages -- were killed in northeast Brazil on Friday after police foiled a gang of armed robbers staging simultaneous pre-dawn assaults on two banks in the town of Milagres, officials said.

Eleven people -- six bank robbers and five hostages including a child -- were killed Friday in a pre-dawn assault on two banks in a northeast Brazilian city foiled by police, the local mayor said.

Armed robbers hit several banks in a small Brazilian city on Monday, using locals as human shields, leaving a trail of explosive devices and shooting at police in an assault that killed at least three people, a senior state security official said.

Twelve people -- including five hostages -- were killed in northeast Brazil on Friday after police foiled a gang of armed robbers staging simultaneous pre-dawn assaults on two banks in the town of Milagres, officials said.

Eleven people -- six bank robbers and five hostages including a child -- were killed Friday in a pre-dawn assault on two banks in a northeast Brazilian city foiled by police, the local mayor said.