France was in the grip of two hostage situations as French special forces and anti-terrorism personnel closed in on the two brothers suspected of killing 12 in the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris on Wednesday.
The first hostage situation took place in the small northern town of Dammartin-en-Goele north east of Paris, while the second situation was at a kosher supermarket in eastern Paris.
The Situation At Dammartin-en-Goele
The suspects involved in the Charlie Hebdo attack took one hostage at a printing press in Damamrtin-en-Goele.
The hostage situation led to a large deployment of French police on the roofs and roads around the area.
Here, members of the gendarme run to the scene of the hostage taking.
The French Special Police Forces brought in helicopters to survey the area.
Snipers were on the roof.
Additional members of the French intervention gendarme forces flew over the printing press.
All roads into and out of Dammartin-en-Goele were blocked.
A guard stands at attention on a road towards Dammartin-en-Goele.
TT @marcobindler: Police have blocked access to Dammartin-en-Goelle for journalists pic.twitter.com/RxODGmTooA
— Malachy Browne (@malachybrowne) January 9, 2015
Additionally, the French police evacuated from near the scene of the hostage situation.
Long line of empty busses on outskirts of town police say to evacuate school kids #CBC pic.twitter.com/Afsyp9a4nn
— Nahlah Ayed (@NahlahAyed) January 9, 2015
An assault was launched on the building and the brothers were killed. Here French special police forces advance towards the printing press during the final assault on the building.
Explosions and gunfire erupted, the suspectrs were killed, and authorities freed the hostage.
The Situation At The Kosher Supermarket
A man thought to be connected to the Charlie Hebdo suspects took at least five hostages at a kosher supermarket in eastern Paris.
Police surround Paris supermarket where gunman reported to be holding hostage http://t.co/jMOZXPaSOJ #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/ab3Na0ciH7
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) January 9, 2015
The gunman had reportedly told police he would hold the hostages until the police siege on Dammartin-en-Goele was lifted.
Large numbers of police mobilized once the hostage taking incident was announced.
French intervention police responded by taking up positions around the supermarket.
Heavily armed police carried out patrols around the building.
Police stand at attention outside the supermarket.
The police enforced a perimiter around the market.
Here, police forcefully stopped two young people on a scooter who approached the kosher supermarket.
This was the moment police stormed the supermarket.
The suspect was killed and several hostages were freed. Four hostages were also killed.
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