At least 100 people have been killed and dozens taken hostage in a wave of apparently co-ordinated attacks in the French capital late on Friday night, according to police and worldwide media.
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As several gunmen opened fire on innocent civilians at The Bataclan theater in Paris on Friday night, one witness claimed he heard someone screaming “Allahu akbar!” over the sound of gunfire. A few of the main French Metro stations were closed Friday, including the Gare du Nord, which is the main station in Paris, according to the Washington Post.
Paris police officials said security officials had launched an assault on the concert hall, killing at least two attackers.
Three explosions occurred near the Stade de France, a French stadium hosting a France versus Germany soccer game. Simultaneous attacks are a trademark of terrorist operations. “We are facing an unknown and historic situation in Paris”, he said. In recent years it also has emerged as one of the trendiest of the city’s neighborhoods.
A NY Police Department statement released Friday stressed police have “no indication that the attack has any nexus to NY City”.
Earlier, President Obama said from the White House, “This is an attack not just on Paris, not just on the people of France, but this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values that we share”.
“We got a message from a friend saying, ‘Something is going on in your neighbourhood, stay inside your apartment, ‘ and we did”, said the artist, who moved from Edmonton, Alta. with her husband in October. “We stand with them in the fight against terrorism and extremism”.
A US military and intelligence source told Fox News the coordinated attacks likely required “months of planning”, based on their sheer number, the locations including a site where the president was present and the variety of weapons used.
Already, references to the Islamic-led attack on the offices of satirical paper Charlie Hebdo are being made.
Said and Cherif Kouachi wanted to punish the magazine for the publication of cartoons that they believed mocked the Prophet Mohammed.
Up to six separate incidents are thought to have take place in a suspected co-ordinated attack around 9pm. The Kouachi brothers two days later were shot and killed in a standoff with police in Dammartin-en-Goele. Coulibaly had killed a policewoman the day before, on January 8.
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Police officials in France say at least 26 people have been killed and a hostage-taking situation is underway at a theater.
