Paris attacks: Officer who led Saint-Denis raid describes moment female terrorist blew herself up

An exchange of fire lasted between 30-45 minutes, where 'hundreds of shots were exchanged'

Forensic officers search for evidence following the raid on a building in Saint-Denis (Getty Images)

An anti-terror chief has given a graphic and detailed account of the raid that killed the "mastermind" behind the deadly attacks on Paris - and the moment a female terrorist blew herself up.

Jean-Michel Fauvergue, 56, director of France's anti-terrorist unit Raid (Recherce Assistance Intervention Dissuasion), said officers were told there were three people inside the building in the city's commune of Saint-Denis, two men and one woman.

His account came as it emerged the man thought to have planned Friday's attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, died in the raid on Wednesday.

"Intelligence sources knew it was likely Abdelhamid Abaaoud would be there,” he told Le Figaro.

He said officers blasted the door open using explosives but were blocked by a shield that had been placed behind it. An exchange of fire lasted between 30-45 minutes, where "hundreds of shots were exchanged" and the terrorists launched grenades.

Mr Fauvergue said the team then sent Diesel, a police dog, into the apartment to do a reconnaissance of the area, but the animal was killed. One of the snipers hit a terrorist who continued to fire using a Kalashnikov.

The woman, who has been named as Hasna Aitboulahcen, sent "a long burst of gunfire" at officers before blowing herself up.

A recording, believed to be of an exchange between Aitboulahcen and police in the moments before she detonated the explosives, was filmed by a terrified resident.

"Windows along the street shattered. A body part, a part of the spine, fell on one of our cars," Mr Fauvergue said.

He said Aitboulahce blew herself up inside the apartment in the hope the building would collapse and kill the raid team.

"It’s nerve-wracking for the men but also for the people in charge of the assaults," he explained.

"You're asking these guys to make contact with individuals who are ready to kill themselves."