Officials Unable to Confirm if Hostages Involved in Charlie Hedbo Face Off

PARIS, January 9 (Sputnik) – The French Ministry of Interior has refused to confirm that the Kouachi brothers, suspected killers in the deadly attack on the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo magazine, are holding a hostage, the ministry's spokesperson Pierre-Henry Brandet told journalists Friday.

"Are they holding a hostage? Currently we cannot confirm this, officially and concisely," Brandet said, referring to the attackers.

Said and Cherif Kouachi are currently barricaded in a printing company office in Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast of Paris, reportedly holding talks with the police.

Brandet said that there was no information on injuries during Friday's shootout, and denied information that the law enforcement attempted to storm the building.

Earlier, French media reported that the suspected terrorists were holding one person hostage.

On Wednesday morning, alleged Islamic extremists attacked the office of the satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people, mostly artists. Another 11 were injured. The magazine was known for printing satirical cartoons lampooning prominent figures and organizations, including Islam.

The Kouachi brothers, French nationals of Algerian origin, have been named as the suspected gunmen by the police.