Two people have been killed and three others injured in a hostage-taking at a supermarket in the town of Trèbes, near Carcassonne in southern France, reports The Guardian.
A major counter-terrorism police operation is under way in the town, after an armed man earlier attempted to run down four police officers on their morning run near Carcassonne and then opened fire, injuring one officer in the shoulder.
The same individual, who local officials said had sworn allegiance to Islamic State, reportedly then drove to the supermarket in Trèbes, entered the store and took eight people hostage. The armed man entered the busy supermarket at about 11am local time.
Anti-terrorism prosecutors have taken over the investigation and the French prime minister, Édouard Philippe, told French media “all the evidence so far suggests these are terrorist attacks”.
BFM TV reported that the hostage-taker had asked for the release of Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving suspect from the jihadi group that attacked Paris in November 2015, killing 130 people. Abdeslam is in solitary confinement in a French high security prison as the investigation into the Paris attacks continues.
Le Monde reported that the hostage-takers’ car found at the supermarket carpark belonged to a Moroccan national known to the security services.
The mayor of Trèbes, Eric Ménassi, told LCI TV the man had entered the shop screaming “Allahu Akbar, I’ll kill you all”. The hostage-taker was now alone with one police officer in the supermarket and all other hostages had been freed, he added.
However, the head of the local gendarmerie, Jean-Valéry Lettermann, said the situation was “not yet stabilised”, adding that “unfortunately, we expect to discover more victims”.
France’s interior ministry said two people had been killed in the continuing hostage situation, with three people injured, one seriously. Police have surrounded the branch of Super U and authorities have warned people to avoid the area.