Saint-Denis is a multicultural, multi-religious, multi-ethnic suburb or banlieue, Cagil Kasapoglu of BBC Turkish writes. 

There are Africans, Algerians, Indians, Chinese, Turkish and many more people from different backgrounds living in the area. The majority of the population is in “sans-papiers” status - meaning they do not yet have a legal status and an ID which would allow them to find a job. 

"During my visit in Saint-Denis on Tuesday, I heard quite a lot of ‘us v them’ when they talked about the 'Parisiens' and themselves in banlieues," she writes.

The site of the stand-off in Saint Denis is less than 2km (about a mile) from the Stade de France national stadium where three suicide bombers blew themselves up on Friday.

The area is one of France's most historic places. French kings were crowned and buried through the centuries in its famed basilica, AP reports. 

A police dog has been killed during the St Denis standoff, BFMTV, external has reported. 

Image source, AFP

It is being reported that police have cornered the sole remaining suspect in St Denis.

Image source, AP

"The situation is very confused, tense too because people don't know what happened," St Denis resident Antoine Mokrane - who lives on a street near to where the explosions happened - tells the BBC.

"Even if I want to go out I can't because military's here and they say you have to stay at home."

Other main developments:

• The French prosecutor says a woman wearing an explosive suicide vest has blown herself up in the standoff with police
• Three men who were in the apartment have been taken out of the building by anti-terrorist police and have been detained.  Their identities have not been confirmed.
• One man and one woman have been stopped and detained in close proximity to the apartment in Saint-Denis.
• AP news agency reports one man is still holed up in the apartment.

This was what residents of St Denis heard at around 04:30 this morning local time. Gunfire and explosions then continued for at least two hours as police special forces moved in. (Video courtesy Johan).

One suspect is still holed up in an apartment at the centre of the standoff near Paris, police quoted by the AP news agency say. They say his or her identity is unclear.

Armed police in balaclavas have entered the town hall in Saint Denis, BBC reporters at the scene say.

Two people have been killed in the standoff, including a woman suicide bomber who blew herself up, the French prosecutor's office says.

Three men have also been taken into custody by special forces and a man and woman have been arrested close to the St Denis flat.

Explosions and gunfire were heard around the area where armed police have raided a flat.

Watch video of the scene from earlier here

The operation, believed to be linked to Friday's attacks, has been going on since 04:30 local time (03:30) GMT.

Among those arrested by police is the possible owner of the apartment where the suspects are believed to have been holed up in Saint-Denis, AFP reports. 

A journalist from the agency said she was interviewing the man when police arrived to handcuff him and take him away.

The man, who was not named, said he provided accommodation for two people in the apartment at 8 rue du Corbillon after a friend asked him to do so. She told him they came from Belgium and needed a place to stay.

The target of police action in the Paris suburb of St Denis is the Islamic State militant Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who was initially thought to have orchestrated the Paris attacks from Syria, police and justice sources say. 

Read more about the key suspect here

Image source, Reu

It is still not clear whether two or three people have been killed in St Denis. The operation is ongoing and police are continuing to block the streets.

French media reports at least two people have been killed. There are also reports of a woman detonating a suicide belt. 

People living in or near St Denis have been subjected to rigorous security checks as the operation in the suburb continues. The area itself has been sealed by the military.

Shops and schools have been closed and transport is suspended.

Image source, Reuters