Now The police official says there have been exchanges of gunfire and special SWAT teams are on the scene.
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Baptiste Marie, a 26-year-old independent journalist who lives near the scene of the standoff, tells The Associated Press: “It started with an explosion”. The extent of their injuries was unknown.
Seven attackers died in Friday’s gun-and-bomb rampage through Paris that killed at least 129 people and left over 350 wounded.
Another witness, Amin Guizani, said he heard the sound of grenades and automatic gunfire. It was going, stopping.
A helicopter is flying overhead at dawn Wednesday.
Police have blocked off the area around Place Jean Jaures and ambulances could be seen and sirens heard in French television footage from the scene.
French television BFM and i-Tele said that the suspects were inside an apartment building.
Deputy Mayor Stephane Peu tol i-Tele that there have been many gunshots and detonations in the operation, which began at 4:25 a.m. Wednesday on Rue de la Republique in the center of St. Denis.
Police say they are hunting for two fugitives suspected of taking part as well as any accomplices.
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. The shots ceased after 15 minutes and then resumed at 5 a.m. The combing operation was conducted by French police five days after the worst attacks in French history killed 129 people in the capital.
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The area is less than 1.2 miles from the Stade de France, targeted by three suicide bombers during Friday’s attacks.
