Toulouse, France (ANTARA News/Xinhua-OANA) - Three blasts were heard late Wednesday outside the building where the suspect in a string of killings in southern France was holed up.

Orange flashes were seen lighting up the sky near the apartment as official sources confirmed that police operation assaulting the suspect has begun.

Mohamed Merah, who was suspected of killing seven people in the last two weeks in southern cities of Toulouse and Montauban, has been in a standoff with the police for nearly 20 hours from early Wednesday morning. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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