Two suspected terrorists were killed and seven were arrested after the French police, SWAT and military teams on Wednesday raided an apartment building in Saint-Denis, just outside Paris, France. Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected mastermind of the deadly attacks in Paris on Friday, is believed to be the target of the planned assault. Officials downgraded the raid operations to "security operations" around seven hours after the assault was launched. (UPDATE: Some reports are saying eight people were arrested. Numbers will be confirmed once the identities of those killed and arrested have been confirmed.)

Authorities launched the Saint-Denis attack at around 4:30 a.m. local time (2:30 p.m. AEST). Seven explosions and significant gunfire were heard. Over seven hours from the time that the raid commenced, public transportation was still not allowed in the area. It remains unclear whether Abdelhamid Abaaoud was among the suspects killed or captured during the raid. Various news agencies are saying his whereabouts remains unknown.

Soon after the planned assault was launched, a woman blew herself up with explosives on her vest. Another terror suspect was also killed, bringing the fatality count to two. A number of police was injured in the raid, and a police dog was killed.

Saint-Denis is a multicultural neighbourhood just outside Paris, less than two kilometres away from Stade de France, where a suicide attack was carried out on Friday. Reports are saying the operations are still underway at the corner of Rue du Corbillon and Rue de la Republique.

The neighborhood of Saint-Denis near Paris is depicted on international reports to be a busy area with shops and business centres. Saint-Denis Mayor Didier Paillard urged the residents to stay indoors when the raid was still active. After six to seven hours, residents (mostly presumed to be unable to go to work) started coming out of their homes to take a look at the situation outside their buildings.

The Associated Press (AP) reported French President Francois Hollande monitored the operations at the Elysee Palace. Later he was heard saying the raid indicates France is "at war" against terrorism. AP has posted to YouTube a raw video footage of the raid. (Watch the video below.)

Agence France-Presse initially reported three suspects were arrested, while AP has reported five were arrested. Before noon in Paris, news agencies have started reporting a consistent number. Seven suspects – some holed up in the building, some in the vicinity -- are now in police custody.

The question among international news followers now is: Did Abdelhamid Abaaoud carry out the recent attacks from Saint-Denis, a community just outside Paris? If this is confirmed, this means Abaaoud was not in Syria as previously believed. He may have been in Paris when 129 people were killed in a series of fatal attacks on Friday.

WATCH: Raw footage of Saint-Denis, Paris attack | The Associated Press on YouTube

UPDATE: As of 9:30 p.m. AEST, police started to move and stand outside a Christian church in Saint-Denis. Any information or intelligence behind the move remains unknown. Findings in the church (or why police had to tear a hole into the door) have not been announced.

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