Dozens of people are reported dead after a series of what appear to be coordinated attacks across Paris late Friday.
The US president, Barack Obama, says America will do whatever it takes to “bring these terrorists to justice” and called the attacks an “outrageous attempt to terrorise innocent civilians”. He says he has not yet spoken to the French president.
The Paris authorities and local police are advising everyone to stay indoors and any businesses to shelter any people they can.
According to the Associated Press, a police official said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement and about 35 were killed at the Bataclan theatre, where a hostage-taking is under way. Police said 100 hostages were being held.
Citing French police, AFP reports that three people were also killed in an explosion outside the Stade de France.
• At least 60 people have died in the attacks, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported.
• At least six shootings took place in Paris and three explosions took place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis late Friday, CNN affiliate BFMTV said.
Two or three gunmen entered the Bataclan concert hall while opening fire on law enforcement, BFMTV reported. A source earlier told CNN there were six to eight hostage takers, citing a person they were talking to inside the venue.
• Paris police tell CNN there were three attacks. Attackers reportedly used AK-47 automatic weapons.
• CNN’s Jim Bittermann, who is based in Paris, reports a producer who is at the Bataclan tells him that police are firing at a rooftop position near the venue.
• President Francois Hollande was evacuated at halftime of the France-Germany soccer match.
• Hollande, Prime Minister Manuel Valls and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve are holding a crisis meeting at the Interior Ministry to address the attacks in Paris and the explosions in Saint-Denis, according to BFMTV.
• Counterterrorism officials around the United States have convened secure conference calls to try to gather information and to assess whether there is any indication of threats in the U.S, according to two U.S. counterterrorism officials.
There is nothing to indicate any threat to U.S. cities so far. Immediate suspicion for the events in Paris falls to so-called returnees — people who have traveled to Syria and Iraq and have returned, the officials said.
Sources: CNN, Guardian, BBC, Sky News
