Paris terror: Police dog killed

“Assault and explosives detection dogs are vital in the operations of RAID”, the specialist anti-terrorist unit of the French police which launched the dawn assault targeting the suspected mastermind of Friday’s attacks in Paris. The Police Nationale confirmed his death via Twitter.

Authorities of the Police National sadly announced the death of a Belgian Malinois police canine officer on a tweet stating Diesel “was killed by attackers” Wednesday afternoon. One of the terrorist was reported to have been shot dead by a police sniper. Diesel had been the first to be killed during the seven-hour siege on the apartment located in the Paris suburb of Saint Denis.

The dog was an assault and explosive search dog and, according to police, the dogs are “indispensable in the missions and operations of #RAID”.

Five police officers were said to have suffered injuries in the operation to capture Abaaoud that began at 4.25am (3.25 irish-time).

Seven explosions and gunfire were heard as the raid pushed through the morning.

Two terrorists, including a woman, reportedly the wife of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who detonated a suicide belt, have died, while up to seven suspects have been arrested.