Several French police hurt during anti-terrorist raid in northern Paris

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.

Authorities are searching for two extremists suspected of taking part in last Friday’s attacks, which killed 129 people.

The latest on the deadly attacks in Paris.

Police have blocked off the area around Place Jean Jaures in Saint Denis, just north of Paris.

Our chief reporter Andy Lines is at the scene.

There are reports two or three men have barricaded themselves in an apartment and that at least one person, possibly a police officer, has been injured. The raid was aimed at “an armed group in an apartment”, the news service said.

The Paris police department says officers have exchanged gunfire with the suspects and several police have been injured.

Mohamed Abdeslam, who spoke to French TV BFM, says his brother was devout but showed no signs of being a radical Islamist. According to reports, helicopters are flying over the area while the police cordoned off the area nearb.

Saint Denis deputy mayor Stephane Peu told i-Tele television there had been many gunshots and detonations in the operation that began at 4.25am (3.25am GMT) in rue de la Republique, in the town centre.

Paillard said that all roads leading to the site of the operation had been closed off, adding that schools in the suburb will not open for the day.

Saint-Denis is home to Stade de France, one of the targets of Friday’s attacks.

He urged residents to stay home, saying “it is not a new attack but a police intervention”.