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French armed police launch operation in Strasbourg district

French armed police launch operation in Strasbourg district

Strasbourg shooting

Armed French police launched an operation on Thursday in Strasbourg's Neudorf neighbourhood to hunt for the gunman who killed three people in an attack on a Christmas market.

News agency Reuters cited television reports and said that elite officers from the RAID police unit conducted search operations with their guns. Other officers extended a security perimeter in the neighbourhood.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told the Senate thatpolicewere acting on a lead and "eliminating any doubts". There was no immediate indication they had located the suspect shooter.

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French police on Tuesday night released thephoto of Cherif Chekatt, theman suspectedto have carried out the attack at the Strasbourg Christmas market in which 3 people were killed and at least 13 injured.

Police said a Strasbourg-born nativeFrenchman Cherif C., 29, was on thewatchlist of intelligence services and had been sentenced 27 times in France, Germany and Switzerland for crimes including violence and robbery.

More than 700policeare taking part in the manhunt.Frenchand Germanpolicemanned controls on either side of the Europe Bridge, which spans the frontier running along the Rhine river.

Asked ifFrenchpolicehad been instructed to catch Chekatt dead or alive, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux told CNews: "It doesn't matter. The best thing would be to find him as quickly as possible."

(With inputs from agencies)