Two dead include one woman, believed to be a suicide bomber
* Suspected mastermind of Paris attacks Abdelhamid Abaaoud believed to have barricaded himself inside apartment
* One suspect still holed in up in an apartment
* Seven more arrested
* Police raid church in Paris
* Four police injured and police dog killed in early morning siege
* 110 police described as "very courageous" by the Interior minister
* Police raid finishes before 11.45am (local time), Government spokesman confirms
* Swat teams launched a pre-dawn raid in Saint Denis, just north of Paris
* Schools and metro closed in Saint-Denis
* Whereabouts of suspects Abdelhamid Abaaou and Ibrahim Abdeslam are still unclear
* All 129 victims of Friday night's Paris terror attacks have been identified
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| French soldiers secure the area after shots were exchanged in Saint-Denis, France, near Paris, November 18, 2015 during an operation to catch fugitives from Friday night's deadly attacks in the French capital. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann |
The suspected mastermind of the Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, were believed to have been surrounded in today's siege in the suburb of Saint Denis, French police have said.
At least four police were injured during the raid, AFP reports.
One suspect was holed up in an apartment in the stand-off, police said. Facts are yet to emerge about how the raid became complete.
Swat teams launched a pre-dawn raid in Saint Denis, just north of the capital, and the area's deputy mayor Stephane Peu told French television it was not a "new attack".
Some 110 who carried out the raid were described as "very courageous" by the Interior minister.
The French prosecutor said police will later confirm the identities of the seven people who were arrested.
Reports suggested the several suspects were hiding in an apartment building and police have blocked off the area around Place Jean Jaures. Several offices have been injured.
The suspected mastermind of the Paris attacks Abdelhamid Abaaoud is believed to have barricaded himself inside an apartment at the scene.
They say they believe he has at least five heavily armed men inside with him.
Shortly before 6.30am French army units arrived at the scene - they were called in after police experienced 'unexpectedly violent resistance'.
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| French special police forces secure the area as shots are exchanged in Saint-Denis, France, near Paris, November 18, 2015 during an operation to catch fugitives from Friday night's deadly attacks in the French capital. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann |
At least seven explosions were heard at the scene of the stand-off.
Shots rang out when police stormed the building targeting those responsible for the Friday night atrocities that left some 132 people dead.
The scene is sealed off today with onlookers in the largely Muslim area watching from a distance.
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| Soldiers operate in St. Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. Authorities in the Paris suburb of St. Denis are telling residents to stay inside during a large police operation near France's national stadium that two officials say is linked to last week's deadly attacks. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) |
Heavily armed police and special forces are moving throughout the area.
Local resident Hassim Amoud has said he was woken by the sound of gun shots this morning.
"All I heard was bang, bang, bang and I thought something bad was happening,"he said.
"I was to nervous to go out to look at first but when I seen other people were outside I went as well. It is just crazy thing to happen.
"A lot of Muslim people live in this area. We are peaceful. I hope the world will not think we are all like these people."
Baptiste Marie, a 26-year-old journalist who lives near the scene of the stand-off, said: "It started with an explosion. Then there was second big explosion. Then two more explosions. There was an hour of gunfire."
Amin Guizani, 21, says: "There were grenades. It was going, stopping. Kalashnikovs. Starting again."
Riot police were clearing the streets, pointing guns at curious residents to move them off the roads.
Authorities are searching for two extremists suspected of taking part in last Friday's attacks, which killed 129 people.
All 129 victims of Friday night's Paris terror attacks have been identified, AFP reports.
News of a second unidentified terrorist thought to be directly involved in the Paris terror attacks emerged after CCTV indicated there were three extremists involved in the attack on a bar in the city.
It would take the total number of attackers to nine, with seven dead and the eighth surviving gunman, Salah Abdeslam, the subject of an international manhunt.
Authorities evacuated about 20 people from the building and brought to city hall for protection. The stand-off was taking place on rue du Cornillon, in the heart of the historic, multi-cultural town.
Saint Denis is one of France's most historic places. French kings were crowned and buried through the centuries in its famed basilica. Today it is home to a vibrant and very ethnically diverse population and sees sporadic tension between police and violent youths.
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