Best seen at link - lots of photos, long article
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/isis-take-hostages-supermarket-france-12238377
Two dead as 'ISIS' gunman shoots at police and takes hostages in French supermarket after shouting Allahu Akbar
The suspect was also heard shouting "Vengeance for Syria" during the terror attack in neighbouring Trebes and Carcassonne
ByChris KitchingPeter AllenOliver Milne
10:57, 23 MAR 2018UPDATED12:41, 23 MAR 2018
NEWS
Two people are dead and 12 injured after a gunman claiming allegiance to ISIS shot at riot police officers and took hostages at a supermarket in the south of France, according to reports.
Negotiators are in contact with the gunman - who has reportedly called for the release of an ISIS terrorist involved in the Paris attacks - and officials are expecting to find more victims, it was reported.
The terrorist, feared to be carrying grenades, was heard shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "Vengeance for Syria" during his rampage at two scenes in the neighbouring towns of Trebes and Carcassonne.
The drama unfolded around 11am when a police officer was wounded in a drive-by shooting while he was out for a jog with colleagues in Carcassonne.
A short time later, about 20 hostages were taken at a branch of Super U in Trebes - a 15-minute drive away - where a butcher and a shopper were killed.
The siege was ongoing by 1.30pm as the gunman was holed up inside the supermarket with a police officer and special forces officers had surrounded the building.
About eight people were taken hostage at the supermarket (Image: REUTERS)
A shattered car window at the scene in Carcassonne (Image: Maxppp/PA Images)
The gunman, said to be in his 30s, claimed allegiance to ISIS, according to the local prosecutor's office, which is treating the incident as terrorism.
Negotiators were in contact with the man, who has demanded the release of Salah Abdeslam, who was accused of involvement in the Paris terror attacks in November 2015, LCI reported.
He was known to the French intelligence service and his name was on an anti-radicalisation list which was created after the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris in January 2015 to identify and monitor people who may carry out a terror attack.
Trebes Mayor Eric Menassi said there are at least "two victims" - a worker and a customer - inside the supermarket.
Terrified shoppers fled the supermarket as the gunman - who shouted "Allah Akbar" and "You are bombing Syria, you will die" during the attacks - stormed the building, local media reported.
There were fears that the death toll would climb (Image: Maxppp/PA Images)
A worker told reporters that he heard gunshots and staff rushed as many people out as they could before the gunman took hostages.
Around 20 people being held captive in the supermarket were released shortly after 12.15pm, but a police officer remained inside with the gunman.
There were fears the suspect was armed with grenades, a handgun and knives.
A source in Trebes said: "A butcher in the U-Supermarket has been shot dead.
Attacks took place in the neighbouring towns of Trebes and Carcassonne
"The gunman was heard shouting slogans about the war in Syria. He says he is representing Islamic State."
"Allahu Akbar" and "Vengeance for Syria" were heard by riot police officers who were attacked by the suspect while out jogging in civilian running gear, it was reported.
The officers were all members of the CRS 57 (Republic Security Companies) unit, based at Carcassonne. All were off duty when they were attacked, around two miles from the supermarket.
Local media were reporting that the officers were shot at by a gunman in a car and then tried to pursue the attacker, but he drove off.
Five shots were fired and one of the officers was hit in the shoulder.
He was rushed to the nearest hospital.
After the shooting, the suspect fled to Trebes, where he took hostages in the supermarket and held police at bay for hours.
Carcassonne and Trebes, about 85 miles south-west of Montpelier, are in an area hugely popular with British second home owners, expats, and holidaymakers.
If a link to ISIS is confirmed, Friday morning's attack would be the first major terror incident on French soil since the election of centrist President Emmanuel Macron in May last year.
France has been on high alert following a string of jihadist attacks since 2015.
In January of that year, an attack on the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo left 12 people dead.
