French police have released the names and pictures of two suspects wanted in connection with the killing of policewoman Clarissa Jean-Philippe in Montrouge and an ongoing hostage siege at a kosher supermarket in a Paris suburb.

The suspects, 32-year-old Amedy Coulibaly and 26-year-old Hayat Boumeddiene, are described as "armed and dangerous" and are being hunted by police for the killing of the policewoman.

Coulibaly is also believed to be behind the shootout and siege at a Jewish supermarket in Porte de Vincennes, in which two people have reportedly died and at least five people are being held hostage, including women and children.

He reportedly told police: "You know who I am and I'm going to keep these hostages until the siege in Dammartin is lifted."

Just like the Kouachi brothers, who are believed to be behind the Charlie Hebdo shooting that killed 12 people, Coulibaly was part of the "Buttes-Chaumont network" that helped send would-be jihadists to fight for al-Qaeda in Iraq.

He was named along with Cherif Kouachi in connection with the 2010 prison escape plot for another Islamist, Smain Ait Ali Belkacem, who bombed the Paris metro in 1995, which injured 30 people.

In 2013, Coulibaly was condemned to five years in prison for the Belkacem escape plot - but got out of jail just two months ago.

Coulibaly and Cherif Kouachi were followers of convicted terrorist Djamel Beghal, according to Le Monde. The two visited Beghal's home in Murat in the south of France, according to telephone conversations.

Hayat Boumeddiene has been Coulibaly's partner since 2010 and lived in his home while he was serving a prison sentence.

CNN reported the French policewoman was shot in the vicinity of Coulibaly's intended target - a Jewish primary school.

paris supermarket siege
Members of the French police forces take positions by the kosher grocery store near Porte de Vincennes in Paris Eric Feferberg/AFP
Related
Paris