Elite French forces surrounded two brothers on Friday who are suspected of slaughtering 12 people during an Islamist massacre in Paris earlier this week.

They moved in as a fresh shooting and hostage drama erupted at a supermarket selling kosher products in an eastern area of the city.

The two surrounded men are believed to be the masked assailants who opened fire methodically on an editorial meeting at the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, leaving 12 people dead in central Paris on Wednesday.