More than 140 killed in Paris terror attacks

State of emergency declared in France after series of terror attacks kill over a 100 people across the capital

More than 140 people were killed in a series of terror attacks in Paris, including at Bataclan theatre, a popular Paris concert hall where attackers seized hostages, an official said. The site of what is said to be a total of 6 coordinated attacks included a stadium where France was playing a friendly soccer match with Germany and where French President Francois Hollande was reportedly present. 

The attackers allegedly shouted "This is for Syria" as they opened fire and exploded bombs, witnesses said. France is a member of the US-led coalition combating the Islamic State.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, and no clear picture of how many attackers were involved and if any were on the run. Jihadists on Twitter immediately praised the attack and criticised France's military operations against Islamic State extremists.

Hollande has declared a state of emergency in France and announced that he was closing the country's borders. The violence spread fear through the city and exceeded the horrors of the Charlie Hebdo carnage just 10 months ago; the lates incidents, however, are the worst episode of violence that France has seen since WW-II. 

Paris police officials said security officials had launched an assault on the Bataclan concert hall, killing at least two attackers. One described "carnage" inside the building, saying the attackers tossed explosives at the hostages. The death toll from the concert hall killings, where the attackers moved around mowing down people with gunfire, is reported to be as high as 120. 

However, Xinhua news agency reported that at least eight attackers are dead, seven of of whom died in suicide bombings.

In addition to the deaths at the concert hall, a police official said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement and other officials said at least three people died when bombs went off outside a stadium.

All of the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to be publicly named in the quickly moving investigation.


Hollande, who had to be evacuated from the stadium when the bombs went off outside, said in a televised address that the nation would stand firm and united.

"This is a terrible ordeal that again assails us," he said. "We know where it comes from, who these criminals are, who these terrorists are."

US President Barack Obama, speaking to reporters in Washington, called the attacks on Paris "outrageous attempt to terrorise innocent civilians" and vowed to do whatever it takes to help bring the perpetrators to justice.

Earlier yesterday, two explosions were heard outside the Stade de France stadium north of Paris during a France-Germany friendly football match. A police union official said there were two suicide attacks and a bombing that killed at least three people.

The official, Gregory Goupil of the Alliance Police Nationale, whose region includes the area of the stadium, said explosions went off simultaneously near two entrances and a McDonalds.

The attack comes as France has heightened security measures ahead of a major global climate conference that starts in two weeks, out of fear of violent protests and potential terrorist attacks. Hollande canceled a planned trip to this weekend's G-20 summit in Turkey, which was to focus in large part on growing fears of terrorism carried out by Islamic extremists.