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Gunfire and explosions shook the Paris suburb of St. Denis early on Wednesday as French police surrounded an apartment where a Belgian Islamist militant suspected of masterminding last week's attacks in the French capital was believed to be holed up.
Gunfire and explosions shook the Paris suburb of St. Denis early on Wednesday as French police surrounded an apartment where a Belgian Islamist militant suspected of masterminding last week's attacks in the French capital was believed to be holed up.
Two suspected jihadists were killed, including a woman who blew herself up, in a shootout in north Paris with police hunting the mastermind of last week's attacks on the French capital, reports said.
At least seven people were arrested for questioning by French police. "Three men who were entrenched in the apartment were removed and are being held in for questioning," the prosecutor's office said. Another man and a woman who were in the vicinity of the apartment, where the attackers were holed up, are also being questioned, the prosecutor said.
French police were involved in a prolonged shootout in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis early, where a Belgian Islamic State militant suspected of masterminding last week's attacks was believed to be holed up.
The area is home to the Stade de France, one of several places hit by gunmen and suicide bombers on Friday in the worst ever attack on French soil, which was claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.
Belgian jihadist Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected Paris attacks mastermind, may have committed suicide during pre-dawn raids on Wednesday by French police at a suburban Paris apartment, according to French Ambassaador to India Francois Richier.
"I have information which leads us to suspect that he committed suicide. I have nothing, no particular documents to say that. That is the first indication we have received," Richier said.
"We are waiting for final confirmation that Abdelhamid Abaaoud is dead," he said.
Speaking at a press conference regarding the St Denis raid this morning, France President Francois Hollande said the country is at war against terrorism by the Islamic State group. He also said that he wants a large coalition against the Islamic State group.
French President Hollande: 'We require action in order to neutralise' the masterminds of #ParisAttacks https://t.co/hFCNxT7mMf
— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 18, 2015
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday announced that an advisory had been issued to all Indians in Paris in the wake of the 13/11 carnage and the ongoing raids in the city.
"Our embassy has issued an advisory asking all Indian citizens to exercise caution and remain indoor to the possible extend," MEA official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
Indian Ambassador to France Mohan Kumar tweeted with the helpline numbers:
Indian Embassy telephone 0140507070 open, we hope all Indians are safe. Our prayers with families affected and solidarity with France.
— Dr Mohan Kumar (@AmbMoKumar) November 14, 2015
According to an AFP update, Paris raids have come to an end, 7 have been arrested and 2 were killed.
Paris raid over, seven arrested and at least two killed #SaintDenis pic.twitter.com/FmAenXD0tX
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) November 18, 2015
"Three men who were entrenched in the apartment were removed and are being held in for questioning," the prosecutor's office said. Another man and a woman who were in the vicinity of the apartment, where the attackers were holed up, are also being questioned, the prosecutor said.
Large anti-terror operation underway in #SaintDenis suburb of Paris. Here's what we know so far pic.twitter.com/khCbRdqcPD
— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 18, 2015
Incredible chase scene in the center of St. Denis , police - apparently responded to a call . False alarm.
Incroyable scène de poursuite dans le centre ville de saint Denis, policiers ont semble-t-il répondu à un appel. Fausse alerte.
— Djamel Mazi (@djamel_mazi) November 18, 2015
A local resident who identified herself as Alexia told AFP she heard shots, "'booms like grenades and then intermittent bursts" of gunfire".
"I heard bursts of machine gun fire," said Reda, a taxi driver. "I got out (of the car), masked policemen stopped us and told us to leave."
(Image: Reuters)
Images posted by Djamel Mazi show a large police presence, and a helicopter overhead.
Entre 5 et 6 explosions entendues, opération toujours en cours après 2h de tirs nourris. pic.twitter.com/Nbbenag0u2
— Djamel Mazi (@djamel_mazi) November 18, 2015
Opération d'envergure du Raid à Saint Denis en lien avec attentats parisien. 2h de tirs nourris. Pls explosions pic.twitter.com/yfzysIvJYH
— Djamel Mazi (@djamel_mazi) November 18, 2015
Two suspected jihadists holed up in an apartment north of Paris died during a police siege, including a woman who detonated an explosives vest, according to reports.
A woman self-detonated after firing automatic weapons at the police in St. Denis, Paris. https://t.co/roY1wvCjyB
— Shruti Ravindran (@s_ravindran) November 18, 2015
The suspected mastermind of the Paris attacks, Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was the target of a dawn raid by police in the north of the city, a police source said.
It was not clear if the 28-year-old member of the Islamic State jihadist group was one of two to four people thought to be inside the apartment in Saint Denis that police swooped on.
Fait peur tout ça... ils referment le périmètre... #saintdenis #RAID pic.twitter.com/3mkeDfHoNm
— Female Khal (@Chelmih) November 18, 2015
#UPDATE Shootout in northern Paris as police hunt attackers - 1 dead: sources https://t.co/HElEb8p2ki pic.twitter.com/hzbcG4ZVlg
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) November 18, 2015
French radio reporting target of major police operation is the suspected Paris attack mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud https://t.co/Ul2AOHl92T
— Jon Passantino (@passantino) November 18, 2015
Firemen told AFP they they joined the operation against "an armed group holed up in an apartment" at 04:31 am (0331 GMT), without giving any further details, adding that one person was lightly hurt.
The area was closed down and intermittent gunfire could still be heard an hour after it started.
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