The two Charlie Hebdo gunmen have reportedly been killed in a firefight with French special forces, according to reports in France.
A hostage by the Al Qaeda militants Said Kouachi, 34, and his brother, Cherif, 33, is believed to have been rescued alive.
Gunfire and explosions had been heard at a print works where police had surrounded the militants as the siege reached a bloody climax.
It came after the brothers had reportedly told police negotiators: 'We are ready to die as martyrs'.
A few minutes later, several explosions were heard at a second hostage siege in eastern Paris where an accomplice was threatening to kill at least six captives if the Kouachi brothers were not allowed to go free.
Several hostages are also believed to have survived that siege.
MailOnline understands that police had earlier scrambled phone signals in the area after the gunmen made contact with the fellow jihadist while inside the building.
Officers were hunting the associate who is feared to be behind the murder of a police officer yesterday and a new hostage crisis ongoing in Paris today.
The third hostage-taker, named as Amedy Coulibay, 32, this afternoon took at least six captives at a kosher grocery, leaving two people dead.
Police say Coulibay is demanding that the Kouachi brothers be allowed to go free in return for his captives.
Revelations that a call was made by the Kouachis suggests they may have instructed Coulibay to carry out today's atrocity to leverage their escape.
There were reports of another alert near the Eiffel Tower, with police seen training their guns down the stairs of a Metro station, but it was a false alarm.
Local media reports that the brothers met Coulibay while in prison.
He is believed to be a fellow member of the Buttes Chaumont – a gang from the 19th arrondissement of Paris that sent jihadists to fight in Iraq.
The Kouachis were cornered in Dammartin-en-Goele, around 25 miles from the capital, this morning after leading police on a dramatic car chase.
After exchanging gunfire with officers, they fled on foot into printing works where they are holding a hostage, believed to be a 26-year-old male.
Snipers have their weapons trained on the building and helicopters are hovering overhead as negotiations were underway with the Islamic fanatics.
Runways have been closed at Charles de Gaulle airport, around five miles away over fears the gunmen have rocket launchers that can down planes.
In their sights: Police train their weapons on a building where the Charlie Hebdo gunmen are holed up with a hostage in Dammartin-en-Goele
Frantic: Police rush to the scene of the hostage-taking at an industrial estate in Dammartin-en-Goele around 25 miles from Paris
Siege: The gunmen are surrounded by police commandos who have begun negotiations to try to secure the release of the hostage
Trapped: The brothers were cornered in the premises of a printing firm after leading police on a dramatic car chase
Scoping it out: Police and armed forces take up positions in Dammartin-en-Goele after landing by helicopter in fields near the hostage scene
Suspects: The three men were named as Cherif Kouachi (left), 32, his brother Said Kouachi (right), 34, and Hamyd Mourad, 18, of Gennevilliers
No comments:
Post a Comment