• Two killed in early morning armed raids
• Including female suicide bomber who blew herself up
• Seven people arrested
• Five police officers injured
Residents in the Paris suburb of Saint Denis were on Tuesday awoken by the sounds of gunfire and explosions as police raided an apartment where the suspected mastermind of last week’s attacks on the capital was believed to be holed up.
Investigators have identified 27-year-old Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian of Moroccan descent, as the chief architect of Friday's attacks in Paris, which killed 129 people and injured 350 others.
French intelligence sources had indicated they believe Abdelhamid was inside the apartment with five other heavily armed suspects when the raid began.
A woman wearing an explosive suicide vest blew herself up as heavily armed officers tried to storm the apartment and a man was killed when he was hit by a grenade. Seven people have been arrested. The operation concluded mid-morning though the identity of those killed and arrested is unclear.
Residents said an explosion shook the neighborhood at about 4am and at 7.30am at least seven explosions shook the area.
Grenade blasts were also reported. These images show how the incident unfolded.
Saint-Denis is one of France's most historic places. French kings were crowned and buried through the centuries in its famed basilica. Today it is home to a vibrant and very ethnically diverse population and sees sporadic tension between police and violent youths.
Saint Denis Raids
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Forensics of the French police are at work in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Crime scene investigators are seen on duty after an operation in Saint Denis. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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French security forces take up positions after an operation in Saint Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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PARIS, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 18 : French security forces take up positions after an operation in Saint Denis, a northern suburb of Paris on November 18, 2015. According to officials a suicide bomber died when she detonated her device, one terrorist has been killed and seven arrests have been made. (Photo by Geoffroy Van der Hasselt/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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A man is evacuated after being arrested by French policemen in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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A man is evacuated after being arrested by French policemen in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center, on November 18, 2015, as French Police special forces raid an apartment, hunting those behind the attacks that claimed 129 lives in the French capital five days ago. At least one person was killed in an apartment targeted in the operation aimed at the suspected mastermind of the attacks, Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud, and police had been wounded in the shootout. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Members of the Raid, a special intervention unit of the French police, are pictured in combat position in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center. (credit:ERIC FEFERBERG via Getty Images)
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Soldiers are seen patrolling a street of Saint Denis on November 18, 2015 in Saint-Denis, France. (credit:Pierre Suu via Getty Images)
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Some People are been transfered to a local hospital near the site of this morning police raid (credit:Pierre Suu via Getty Images)
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Police forces prepare in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Police forces operate in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Hooded police officers walk in a street of Saint-Denis, near Paris. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Hooded police officers walk in a street of Saint-Denis. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Police forces operate in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Police forces operate in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. Authorities in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis are telling residents to stay inside during a large police operation near France's national stadium that two officials say is linked to last week's deadly attacks. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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French soldiers stand guard in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center. (credit:THOMAS SAMSON via Getty Images)
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Police officers take up positions in Saint Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Police officers take up positions in Saint Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. Authorities in the Paris suburb of Saint Denis are telling residents to stay inside during a large police operation near France's national stadium that two officials say is linked to last week's deadly attacks. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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A special intervention unit moves towards the scene in Paris suburb Saint-Denis. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Authorities in the Paris suburb of Saint Denis are telling residents to stay inside during a large police operation near France's national stadium that two officials say is linked to last week's deadly attacks. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Shooting broke out in northern Paris early November 18, 2015 during a dawn raid by police hunting those behind the attacks that claimed 129 lives in the French capital five days ago, sources said. (credit:THOMAS SAMSON via Getty Images)
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Police operation in Saint-Denis, near Paris on November 18, 2015, five days after Paris terror attacks. Shooting broke out in northern Paris early November 18, 2015 during a dawn raid by police hunting those behind the attacks that claimed 129 lives in the French capital five days ago, sources said. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Police operation in Saint-Denis, near Paris on November 18, 2015, five days after Paris terror attacks. Shooting broke out in northern Paris early November 18, 2015 during a dawn raid by police hunting those behind the attacks that claimed 129 lives in the French capital five days ago, sources said. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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French policemen patrol in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center, on November 18, 2015, as French Police special forces raid an appartment, hunting those behind the attacks that claimed 129 lives in the French capital five days ago. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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A police officer stands guard next to a French soldier in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Policemen take combat position in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center, on November 18, 2015, as French Police special forces raid an appartment, hunting those behind the attacks that claimed 129 lives in the French capital five days ago. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Policemen stand guard guard in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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French policemenand soldiers stand guard in the northern Paris (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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A French soldier stands guard in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Policemen stand guard guard in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center, on November 18, 2015, as French Police special forces raid an appartment. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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French soldiers stand guard in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center, on November 18, 2015, as French Police special forces raid an appartment, hunting those behind the attacks. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Members of the Raid, a special intervention unit of the French police patrol in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Policemen are gathered in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Members of French police special forces. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Members of French police special forces in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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French policemen stand guard in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center, on November 18, 2015, as French Police special forces raid an apartment, hunting those behind the attacks in Paris (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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French soldiers and members of police special forces talk together while standing guard. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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French soldiers are carried in a truck to take combat position in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis city center, on November 18, 2015, as French Police special forces raid an apartment. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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French policemen stand guard as French soldiers take combat position. (credit:THOMAS SAMSON via Getty Images)
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French army soldiers stand in position in the northern Paris. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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French army soldiers stand in position in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Police operation in Saint-Denis, near Paris on November 18, 2015, five days after Paris terror attacks. Shooting broke out in northern Paris early November 18, 2015 during a dawn raid by police hunting those behind the attacks that claimed 129 lives in the French capital five days ago. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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French army soldiers stand in position. (credit:KENZO TRIBOUILLARD via Getty Images)
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Soldiers operate in Saint-Denis. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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French soldiers take up position. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Residents are evacuated by the police in Saint Denis. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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French soldiers patrol in Paris suburb Saint Denis, Wednesday, Nov.18, 2015. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Police forces prepare in Saint Denis. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)