In pics: Snipers, helicopters turn French town into warzone

Rooftop snipers, police in black armoured gear and hovering helicopters lent a small French town near Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport the air of a warzone Friday. Here's a photo essay.

Rooftop snipers, police in black armoured gear and hovering helicopters lent a small French town near Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport the air of a warzone Friday. Here's a photo essay.

Businesses in Dammartin-en-Goele, home to about 8,000 people, shuttered, leaving the streets deserted except for lines of police vehicles and units of heavily armed officers.

Police forces take positions in Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast Paris, during a manhunt operation against two brothers suspected of slaughtering 12 people in an attack on Charlie Hebdo. (AP Photo)

French gendarmes block the access to the city of Dammartin-en-Goele, as part of an operation to seize two heavily armed suspects. (AFP Photo)

French soldiers patrol near the Eiffel Tower in Paris as part of the highest level of 'Vigipirate' security plan after the shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo. (Reuters Photo)

Police forces gather together above the 'peripherique' (circular road) near the kosher grocery store in eastern Paris. (AFP Photo)

News reports said at least two people were killed as the gunman opened fire at the kosher grocery store in eastern Paris. (AFP Photo)

Amedy Coulibaly, a 32-year-old man, wanted for the murder of a policewoman were suspected to be behind the kosher store siege . (AFP Photo)

A member of the police force aims with a shotgun while dealing with the hostage situation at the kosher grocery store. (AFP Photo)