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Shooting broke out in northern Paris on Wednesday during a dawn raid by police hunting those behind the attacks that claimed 129 lives in the French capital five days ago, sources said. Several police were wounded in the anti-terrorism raid, said a source close to the operation, which began before dawn in the suburb of Saint Denis. Police sources said several unidentified men were still holed up in an apartment as the operation continued at 06:15 am (0515 GMT). 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. Firemen told AFP they they joined the operation against “an armed group holed up in an apartment” at 04:31 am, without giving any further details, adding that one person was lightly hurt. [caption id=“attachment_2511768” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Screengrab from CNN-IBN.[/caption] The area was closed down and intermittent gunfire could still be heard an hour after it started. Another source said a special armed response unit took part in the raid, which comes as Europe was on high alert after footage from the scene of one of Friday’s attacks revealed a ninth suspect may have taken part. It was not clear if this ninth man was one of two suspected accomplices detained in Belgium or was on the run, potentially with 26-year-old fugitive Frenchman Salah Abdeslam who carried out one of the attacks at Bonne Biere cafe along with his suicide-bomber brother Brahim. French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday will hold a meeting to discuss proposals to extend by three months the state of emergency declared after the worst attacks in French history. It will then be put to vote by lawmakers Thursday and Friday. In a sign of the nervousness gripping Europe after Friday’s carnage, a football match between Germany and the Netherlands was cancelled Tuesday and the crowd evacuated after police acted on a “serious” bomb threat. As police stepped up the hunt for the fugitives, French and Russian jets pounded IS targets in the group’s Syrian stronghold of Raqa for a third consecutive day. Screw them, we have champagne France and Russia have vowed merciless retaliation for the Paris attacks and last month’s bombing of a Russian airliner, also claimed by the Islamic State group, which have galvanised international resolve to destroy the jihadists and end Syria’s more than four-year civil war. “It’s necessary to establish direct contact with the French and work with them as allies,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said as France prepared to send an aircraft carrier to the eastern Mediterranean. Hollande will meet Putin in Moscow on November 26, two days after seeing US President Barack Obama in Washington. Police have issued the photograph of one of the three men who blew themselves up outside the Stade de France, who investigators have established entered Europe through Greece, as hundreds of thousands of refugees have done this year. He was found with a Syrian passport near his body, but investigators have not confirmed that he was the man in the document and are appealing for anyone who recognises him to come forward. Satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which lost 12 staff in an attack by jihadist gunmen in January, unveiled a tribute cover for the Paris victims showing a dancing reveller with bottle and glass in hand, and champagne pouring out of bullet holes in his body. “They have weapons,” the caption reads, adding: “Screw them, we have champagne.” French, Russian rapprochement France has invoked a previously unused European Union article to ask member states for help in its mission to fight back against the Islamic State organisation, which received unanimous backing from Brussels. But France also appears to be forging an unexpected alliance with Russia, which it has clashed with over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, after both countries were targeted by the jihadists in deadly attacks. On Tuesday, Russia finally confirmed that the Russian passenger jet that crashed in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula last month, killing 224 people, had been brought down by a bomb, though it did not name any responsible group. The Kremlin said Putin and Hollande had “agreed to assure closer contact and coordination between the military and security service agencies of the two countries in actions against terrorist groups… in Syria”. The alliance comes as international players meet to discuss ways of ending the Syrian war, which has spurred the rise of the Islamic State group, forced millions into exile and triggered Europe’s worst migrant crisis since World War II. On a solidarity visit to Paris, US Secretary of State John Kerry said a “big transition” in Syria was probably only weeks away after Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia reached agreement at the weekend on a path towards elections. Still, regime and opposition representatives have yet to sit down together and there is little agreement on the role of Assad in any transition, a key sticking point in the talks. Back in the United States, more than half of all state governors on Tuesday took steps to force the White House to freeze programmes to resettle Syrian and Iraqi refugees, citing concerns about attacks. Highlighting US fears over the attack, two Air France flights bound for Paris from the United States were diverted Tuesday and landed safely after anonymous threats the carrier called a “bomb scare.” AFP
Anti-terror Op Live: With 2 deaths, 7 arrests Paris raid concludes; Hollande says France at war with terrorism
Men were still holed up in an apartment in northern Paris on Wednesday after shooting broke out during a raid by anti-terrorist police investigating the Paris attacks, police sources said.
 "Anti-terror Op Live: With 2 deaths, 7 arrests Paris raid concludes; Hollande says France at war with terrorism")
Hollande: France is ‘at war’ against terrorism
French President Francois Hollande says France is ‘at war’ against terrorism by the Islamic State group.
Hollande says he wants “large coalition” working together against IS militants to destroy a group that threatens the whole world and “commits massacres” in the Mideast.
Hollande says “we are at war.” He was speaking in a televised address Wednesday after a seven-hour police siege on an apartment north of Paris where police suspected the mastermind of the deadly Paris attacks might have been.
He says the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle just left to help French military operations in Syria against IS.
Suspected mastermind of Paris Attacks might have committed suicide in today’s police raid: French envoy to NDTV
Suspected mastermind of #ParisAttacks Abdelhamid Abaaoud may have committed suicide in today's raid in Saint Denis: French envoy to NDTV
— NDTV (@ndtv) November 18, 2015
Mastermind killed himself?
Meanwhile, NDTV reports that there are indications that the Paris attacks mastermind might have killed himself during the police raid.
French president says he wants `large coalition’ against Islamic State group
BREAKING: French president says he wants `large coalition' against Islamic State group.
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 18, 2015
French president says he wants `large coalition’ against Islamic State group
BREAKING: French president says he wants `large coalition' against Islamic State group.
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 18, 2015
President Francois Hollande addresses French mayors
“Our thought go to the 129 people who lost their lives. France represents vitality, generosity, freedom. A bill will be presented at the parliament which will allow to extend the state of emergency to three months. I’d like to express gratitude to the forces, policemen, people who launched this operation,” says French President Hollande.
French President Hollande: We are at war, a war against terrorism https://t.co/URxs5vitHt https://t.co/URxs5vitHt
— CNN (@CNN) November 18, 2015
President Francois Hollande addresses French mayors
BREAKING: French president says France is at war against terrorism by the Islamic State group.
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 18, 2015
President Francois Hollande addresses French mayors
President Francois Hollande addresses French mayors. Watch live https://t.co/3IfxS58nSd #ParisAttacks pic.twitter.com/WjtFEPRgzn
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) November 18, 2015
French attacks suspect held by Dutch police over drugs in February
Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in last week’s terror attacks in Paris, was briefly held and fined in February for possession of cannabis, the Dutch police has said.
“He was arrested during a routine roadside exercise in early February,” a police spokesman told AFP, adding that a “limited” quantity of cannabis was found in his car.
Abdeslam was allowed to continue on his way after paying a 70 euro ($75) fine.
Prosecutor: identity of killed, arrested unclear; presence of suspected mastermind uncertain
BREAKING: Prosecutor: identity of killed, arrested unclear; presence of suspected mastermind uncertain
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 18, 2015
All 129 fatalities in Paris attacks now identified
#BREAKING All 129 fatalities in Paris attacks now identified: cabinet statement
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 18, 2015
Obama briefed on French police action in Paris
A White House official says President Barack Obama has been briefed on the law enforcement operation in a suburb of Paris, reports AP. This is a French law enforcement operation, but the president asked to be updated, the official said.
Turkey detains 8 suspects acting like refugees
Turkey’s state-run news agency says authorities have detained eight people at Istanbul’s main airport who they suspect could be Islamic State militants planning to make their way to Germany, posing as refugees, reports AP.
Operation over, fate of Abaaoud unclear
French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll has said that the hours-long police operation north of Paris targeting the mastermind of the Paris attacks and his accomplices, has ended.
Le Foll spoke to reporters in the presidential palace after a Cabinet meeting, saying “the operation is over.” reports AP.
The fate of the mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud is unclear.
Police confirm that Paris raid is over
Police sources have said that the raid in Saint-Denis, Paris is over but the area is still being secured, reports AFP.
The six-hour raid lead to the the death of two suspects and the arrest of seven others. Five police officers are also said to be injured and a police dog was killed.
Police lead children, others away from standoff
Police have escorted out children and others from the scene of a big police standoff with suspects in Paris attacks, reports AP.
A woman in a purple headscarf wept while carrying a child. A man next to her carried another child wearing pink, and an older boy walked near them.
It is unclear whether they had been in the building where two people have been killed, several police slightly injured and seven people arrested since the standoff began seven hours ago.
French police pay tribute to dog killed in gun battle
Les chiens d'assaut et de recherche d'explosifs: indispensables dans les missions des opérateurs du #RAID pic.twitter.com/vb5lGjnwjO
— Police nationale (@PoliceNationale) November 18, 2015
Seven arrested in Paris raid
Police say that seven people have now been arrested in the raid conducted in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, reports AP.
A senior police official and the Paris prosecutor’s office say that seven people have been arrested in a raid on an apartment building where suspects in last week’s Paris attacks were holed up.
They did not identify those detained.
Authorities believe there may still be someone still hiding in an apartment.
A loud bang rang out in the streets adjacent to the building around the time of the latest arrests.
Suspects planned to attack Paris Business District: Source
The suspected Islamic State terrorists holed up in a northern Paris apartment following a raid by French police had planned an attack on La Defense business district in Paris, a source close to the investigation said, according to a Reuters report.
Paris police haul away naked man from building at centre of Saint-Denis police raid. https://t.co/MNz1nXS1Cy pic.twitter.com/fbH4g4OfHE
— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) November 18, 2015
Bill to extend emergency in France
A bill to extend France’s state of emergency for three months is being presented to a Cabinet meeting, reports AP.
French president Francois Hollande declared a state of emergency for 12 days following Friday night’s attacks. Parliament must approve extending it. The bill is to be debated in the Cabinet on Wednesday, the lower house on Thursday and at the Senate on Friday.
The state of emergency extends some police powers of search and arrest and limits public gatherings, among other changes.
Police raid continues as convoy of police vehicles arrives at spot
A CNN reporter said that he saw a convoy of around 7 or 8 police vehicles coming in, saying that it was clear that “there is still a lot of movement going on” and that the police raid is not over yet.
Austria had reported the presence of one of the attackers in their country back in September
Austria’s interior ministry says a Belgian suspect sought in the Paris attacks was on an EU-wide police list when he was stopped in Austria in September, and his presence in the country was reported back to Belgian authorities.
Ministry official Karl-Heinz Gruendboeck says Belgium had registered Salah Abdeslam in the Schengen Information System on suspicion of unidentified criminal activity.
Officials earlier said Abdeslam entered Austria from Germany 9 September with two unidentified companions and they were stopped for a routine traffic check. – Associated Press
One of the attackers may have had an accomplice during his journey through Balkans
The man, who blew himself up near the Stade de France stadium in Friday’s attacks, may have had an accomplice with him as he travelled through the Balkans to western Europe after entering Greece posing as a Syrian refugee, counter-intelligence and police sources said, according to Reuters.
Man held in Paris raid lent apartment to two ‘from Belgium’
A man arrested on Wednesday during a police raid in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis told AFP that he had lent his apartment to two people from Belgium as a favour to a friend.
The apartment was targeted by police hunting the mastermind of the Paris attacks last Friday that killed 129 people and left more than 350 injured.
President Hollande, top ministers monitoring raid
French President Francois Hollande is holding an emergency meeting at the Elysee Palace to monitor the raid on a suburban Paris apartment, reports AP.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Justice Minister Christiane Taubira are meeting with the president, continues the report.
A Cabinet meeting is to be held on Wednesday morning as previously scheduled, according to the French presidency.
Police dog killed in initial gunbattle
French authorities confirm a police dog was killed in raid in St Denis this morning. 4 police officers injured. Ongoing operation #Paris
— Gavin Lee (@GavinLeeNews) November 18, 2015
Police dog killed in #SaintDenis raid - LATEST UPDATES: https://t.co/zNvn9GsOPn pic.twitter.com/oYp2XZMAf9
— RT (@RT_com) November 18, 2015
Prosecutor confirms woman blew herself up in Paris raid
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that a woman detonated an explosives vest during a police assault in the hunt for those behind the terror attacks, according to an AFP report.
Three men holed up inside the apartment were arrested, while a man and woman were arrested near the location of the raid, read a statement.
Police sources said a second suspected jihadist had been killed in the raid which began just after 4.00 am.
Meanwhile the prosecutor’s office said that police had released family and friends of jihadists Ismael Mostefai and Samy Amimour who blew themselves up in the Bataclan concert hall, where 89 were killed.
Witnesses hear loud explosions, gunfire
A local resident who identified herself as Alexia told AFP that she heard “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.”
Crowds of people watching ongoing raid in Saint-Denis area of #Paris. Photos @pau_lallement pic.twitter.com/5f9mFkuY5b https://t.co/5f9mFkuY5b
— Mashable News (@MashableNews) November 18, 2015
33 jihadists dead in Syria
Meanwhile, AFP reports that the joint French and Russian raids in Syria have killed 33 Islamic State jihadists in 72 hours, according to a monitor.
#UPDATE French, Russian raids in Syria kill 33 IS jihadists in 72 hours: monitor
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 18, 2015
Suspected Paris attack mastermind presumed killed
Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected mastermind behind Paris attacks,is presumed to be killed in the police raid in Saint Denis, reports CNN.
Suspected Paris attacks mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud presumed killed in police operation, reports CNN https://t.co/7SJJPLHY9P
— NDTV (@ndtv) November 18, 2015
I'm in St. Denis, hiding out at a local apartment building after police cleared the streets. https://t.co/9AjG7EW9xe
— Raphael Satter (@razhael) November 18, 2015
This is what St Denis security cordon looking like now pic.twitter.com/PNsXnMy27j
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) November 18, 2015
Suspect still holed up in apartment
A police official says that one person is still holed up in an apartment north of Paris after an hours-long standoff with police in which 2 have been killed and 5 arrested, reports The Associated Press.
The official, not authorized to be publicly named according to police rules, said the standoff is still going on after some 5 hours.
The person’s identity has not been released. Authorities say the operation is targeting the mastermind of last week’s Paris attacks.
First photos from the scene of #ParisSiege as police target terror suspects https://t.co/0wuL21uLp3 #ParisAttacks pic.twitter.com/7VvGoSTOSD
— IBTimes UK (@IBTimesUK) November 18, 2015
Three people killed, police officers injured
At least, three people were killed in an apartment targeted by a police raid in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis following the bloody attacks on Paris, according to a source close to the operation. The causalities include a woman who detonated an explosives vest, which was confirmed by the prosecutor.
At least four police were also injured in the operation.
Military deployed
Meanwhile, French military has been deployed to north Paris as the shootout continues.
Around 50 French soldiers were deployed to the northern Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis on Wednesday, AFP journalists reported.
They were posted along the main high street near an apartment where people, believed to be linked to Friday’s attacks, were holed up and large explosions and firing could be heard.
Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched
Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli remains caretaker PM amid chaos in Nepal. Protesters torched parliament, executive seat, Supreme Court, and presidential residence. President Paudel calls for dialogue as violence continues across the country.
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