POLICE have swarmed a supermarket in southern France after a gunman reportedly opened fire and took hostages into a supermarket, with reports he pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

Eight people are being held captive, while the hostage-taker also is said to have shot a police officer, according to reports.

BFM TV said the hostage-taker has claimed allegiance to Islamic State.

A source at the Paris prosecutor’s office said counter-terrorism prosecutors were investigating the hostage-taking, which is happening in the town of Trebes.

The local prefecture confirmed the hostage-taking at the Super U supermarket but did not confirm the Islamic State allegiance.

Earlier, France’s Interior Ministry had said security officials were carrying out an operation at a supermarket in southern France, but gave no details.

The UNSA police union also said on Twitter a police operation was under way after an individual had earlier shot at four officers in the Carcassone region injuring one of them.