Armed Paris shooting suspects 'spotted' in northern France

Two brothers suspected of having gunned down 12 people in an Islamist attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo have been spotted and are armed, sources close to the manhunt say.

The manager of a petrol station near Villers-Cotteret in the northern Aisne region "recognised the two men suspected of having participated in the attack against Charlie Hebdo", the source told AFP.

French newspaper La Parisien reports the two suspects robbed a service station at around 10.30am local time (8.30pm AEDT).

Le Union reports shots were fired during the robbery, and the suspects were carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles and abandoned a grey Skoda car on the site, which has been seized by police for examination.

Police have reportedly descended on the site and closed off many roads to traffic.

More to come.