'Shots Fired' In Paris Suspects 'Robbery'

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The two suspects in the Charlie Hebdo magazine attack have fired shots while robbing a petrol station in northern France, according to French media.

A massive manhunt is under way for the gunmen who killed 12 people in an assault at the magazine's Paris offices on Wednesday.

AFP reported that two men fitting the description of brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi stole petrol and food from the station near Villers-Cotterets in the northern Aisne region, east of Paris, this morning.

Le Parisien said men, aged 34 and 32, wearing balaclavas were travelling on the N2 road in the direction of Paris in a Renault Clio which had weapons on its back seat and its number plates covered.

AFP said they were described as "masked, with Kalashnikovs" and what appeared to be a rocket-launcher.

Sky's Joey Jones, who is at the cordoned off location, said it would appear the pair are "a step or two ahead" of the authorities at the moment.

Jones added: "The indications at the moment suggest that they (police) are finding it difficult to get a grip on this fast-moving situation.

"Each time we arrive at an area where they have been sighted or there is some sort of suspicion of significant police activity, you get the feeling that things have moved on.

"This is such a fast moving situation, who knows where it will end up."

Police barriers have been set up on local roads in Aisne and residents reported that a police helicopter was flying overhead.

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Gallery: Police Carry Out Raid In Reims

Police have carried out raids in the Croix-Rouge area of the French city of Reims following the massacre at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo

They are hunting two men, Said Kouachi and Cherif Kouachi, suspected of carrying out the attack which left 12 people dead

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A police officer aims his weapon during the raid

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French prime minister Manuel Valls said seven people had been arrested in connection with the attacks

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RAID, the anti-terrorist unit of the French police force, and the GIGN, a paramilitary special operations unit, have been deployed in Villers-Cotterets.

Officials have said the French nationals are linked to a Yemeni terror network.

On Wednesday night heavily armoured French police raided an apartment in the city of Reims in the search for the killers.

French officials said seven people were detained overnight.

Another suspect handed himself in to police after he was named on social media as 18-year-old Hamyd Mourad.

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Gallery: Paris Attack Suspects' ID Cards

Cherif Kouachi and his brother Said are suspected of carrying out the attack at Charlie Hebdo's offices in Paris. This is Cherif's ID card

This copy of Said's ID card has also been released

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Sky sources say the teenager, who has been arrested, is the brother-in-law of the suspects.

There are reports that he was in school at the time of the attack and schoolmates have said he was on the bus with them at 7.30am and midday on Wednesday.

:: Live updates on the story here

As tensions remain high in the country, an elite police unit is preparing for an operation near the scene where a female police officer was fatally shot in southern Paris this morning.

Earlier a "criminal" blast was reported at a kebab shop near a mosque in the eastern French town of Villefranche-sur-Saone. No one was injured.

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Gallery: Magazine Victims Identified

Bernard Maris was a journalist and shareholder in Charlie Hebdo

Bernard Velhav was a contributer to the magazine. Pic: Georges Seguin

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Officials have not said either incident is linked to the attack on Charlie Hebdo.

The Gare du Nord was also evacuated over a suspect package but is now open to passengers again.

Tributes to the victims have been left near the scene of yesterday's shooting at the magazine's offices while thousands of officers have reportedly been deployed in the hunt for the killers.

A minute's silence was held in the French capital for the victims of the attack.

Charlie Hebdo has been targeted in the past over its portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed.

In Wednesday's attack, masked gunmen armed with Kalashnikov rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade stormed the offices and called out their victims by name before opening fire during a morning editorial meeting.

The gunmen were let inside by a female employee who was threatened at gunpoint along with her daughter and forced to punch in a security code.

The editor and a cartoonist, who went by the pen names Charb and Cabu, were among those killed.

Two police officers were also among the dead, including one assigned as Charb's bodyguard after he had received death threats and another who was shot in the head as he lay wounded outside the offices.

An editorialist at the magazine had said next week's issue will be published despite the bloodbath.

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Gallery: The Pencil Is Mightier Than The Gun

Cartoonists all over the world have been picking up their pencils to show their support for the murdered artists on Charlie Hebdo magazine. This was by Carlos Latuff, posted on @LatuffCartoons latuffcartoons.wordpress.com

By David Pope @davpope. Political cartoonist at The Canberra Times

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The publication, for next Wednesday, is to defiantly show that "stupidity will not win," Patrick Pelloux said, adding that the remaining staff will meet soon.

Downing Street said security has been increased at UK ports following the terror attack in Paris, although there is no specific threat to the country.

:: Sky News is running a poll on social media today: "Should the media publish satirical religious cartoons?". You can vote on Facebook or Twitter using hashtags #SkyPollYes or #SkyPollNo

:: A special report on the shootings at 2.30pm, 4.30pm, 8.30pm and 9.30pm, can be watched live on skynews.com, our mobile apps and on channels Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

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Gallery: Islamist Terror Attacks In Europe

15 and 19 November 2003: Istanbul. Four truck bombs explode, the first two at synagogues, the others at the British Consulate and HSBC's headquarters in Turkey. 57 killed. The attack was linked to Al Qaeda

11 March 2004: Madrid. Near-simultaneous explosions kill 191 people on commuter trains in the Spanish capital. Attackers claimed they were inspired by Al Qaeda

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