In a major development in last Friday's Paris carnage, Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the alleged mastermind of the ghastly terror attacks, may have committed suicide during a police raid in Saint Denis on Wednesday.
Speaking to NDTV, French ambassador Francois Richier said, “We have indications that Abaaoud committed suicide in today's operation.”
However, the news is not confirmed yet.
“We are waiting for final confirmation that Abdelhamid Abaaoud is dead. We have heard that Abaaoud committed suicide in today's operation,” the French ambassador added.
Abaaoud was earlier said to have directed the terror attacks from Syria, but intelligence indicated he was in the 'capital of adultery and vice'.
Friday's attacks in Paris killed 129 people.
Meanwhile, today's raid targeted the 28-year-old Belgian member of the IS terror group, who was believed to be holed up in an apartment along with other suspects.
Two persons were killed in the early morning raid at Saint Denis. Police carried out the seven-hour raid on an apartment suspected of housing Abaaoud.
A woman blew herself up with a suicide belt, while another was killed in gunfire. Subsequently, seven people were arrested.
Unconfirmed reports say the woman who detonated the suicide belt was Abaaoud's kin.
Police had placed a woman under surveillance who they suspected might be harbouring Abaaoud. The raid resulted in injuries to five police officers and the death of a police dog.
