BREAKING NEWS: One jihadi is shot dead and a woman suicide bomber blows herself up in dramatic gunfight at Paris apartment where mastermind of terror attacks is surrounded by 100 officers
In their sights: Police move in on the apartment where the female suicide bomber blew herself up after firing an AK-47 machine at officers. At least one other jihadi is also dead since the stand-off started at dawn
- French police and special forces launch operation to storm Saint-Denis flat containing up to six Paris terrorists
- Mastermind behind Friday’s massacres, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, 27, believed to be inside the Paris apartment
- Female suicide bomber detonated explosive vest after firing on police while one suspect killed by rooftop sniper
- At least five police have been injured in the ferocious gunfight and the terrorists also shot and killed a police dog
- Wanted man Salah Abdeslam, 26, who had been stopped by police on Belgian border, may also be inside rented flat
- Three people have been taken alive from flat and arrested as well as two others ‘nearby’ but stand-off is ongoing
- Witnesses told MailOnline there have been periods of intense machine gun fire and at least seven large explosions
- Man who rented flat to ‘two Belgians’ is arrested and claims: ‘I didn’t know they were terrorists. It was a favour’
A female terrorist wearing a suicide vest has blown herself up and another jihadi is dead as more than 100 police and soldiers were today involved in a gunfight with up to six suspected Paris terrorists including the mastermind behind Friday’s massacres.
SWAT teams and special forces have surrounded an apartment in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis – close to the Stade de France – in a siege that started at 4.30am this morning.
French media are reporting the architect of the plan that killed 129 people, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, 27, is alive and inside the flat – until now it was thought he was in Syria orchestrating the Paris attacks from ISIS capital Raqqa.
A woman who may be Abaaoud’s jihadi bride is said to have fired her AK-47 at police before blowing herself up as an assault squad stormed the apartment block. Survivors of the Bataclan massacre where 89 people died insisted there was a female shooter.
As she tried to kill police this morning a rooftop sniper shot dead another terror suspect through a window. Police have confirmed that three people in the apartment were taken alive and arrested while two others were held ‘nearby’ with security forces still trying to ‘neutralise’ more holed-up in the flat.
An innocent person on the street may have been killed in the crossfire and at least five police have been injured in the ferocious gunfight. The terrorists also shot and killed a police dog.
One of the nine suspected massacre shooters Salah Abdeslam, 26, who has been subject to an international manhunt focussed on Belgium, may also be inside.
Teams of armed police appeared on a street outside the Saint-Denis flat before dawn today and then at least three trucks of soldiers and special forces arrived as back up.
Witnesses told MailOnline there have been periods of intense machine gun fire and at least seven large explosions, caused by the suicide bomber and possibly hand grenades, as the siege continues. There are no hostages involved.
Read more: h/t: buck
