Hostage situation ended in German city of Dresden

Police vehicles parked around a cordoned off area at the Altmarktgalerie after a hostage situation in Dresden, Germany ((Jorg Schurig/dpa via AP)

German police say they have ended a hostage situation in the eastern city of Dresden after reports of shots being fired.

Officers had urged people to avoid an area in the city centre on Saturday morning and ordered the Christmas market to remain closed while the operation was under way.