BREAKING Hostage situation reported in N. France, several suffer 'gunshot wounds'

A hostage situation has been reported in the northern French town of Roubaix near the Belgian border. Several people have sustained gunshot wounds, Reuters reported citing medical sources.

The area has been cordoned off by police, RTL reported, adding that gunfire can be heard.

La Voix du Nord newspaper says the hostage takers are armed with Kalashnikovs. Witnesses told the daily that the incident occurred at around 7:00pm local time at a service station. According to other reports, this may be inside a residential building.

“There were three guys with Kalasnikovs, they shot at police and police shot at them,” a local resident named Salah told RT. “There are a lot of police on the streets,” he added.

This is a developing story. Return to this post for updates.

UPDATE 1

"An operation is underway after hostages were taken. Gunshots were fired and the neighborhood has been cordoned off," a police source told Reuters. "A bank director and his family may have been taken as hostages."


It is not clear whether the gunmen are linked to the attacks in Paris on November 13. According to AFP, the incident may have been an attempted robbery.