Pray for Paris – A párizsi terrortámadásokról

At least 129 people have been killed in seven separate attacks across Paris, including 82 during a hostage situation at Bataclan, a music venue

What has happened?

There have been seven apparently coordinated terror attacks in Paris carried out by at least eight militants, all wearing suicide vests. At least 129 people are feared to have been killed and 352 are injured.

Two explosions were heard near the Stade de France, where Francois Hollande was watching France play Germany in an international football friendly, at around 8.30pm 13rd November, UK time. A French police official has confirmed there were two suicide attacks and one bombing near the venue, which is north of central Paris. One was near a McDonald’s restaurant on the fringes of the stadium.

Meanwhile there were attacks on two restaurants Le Petit Cambodge and Le Carillon, both in Rue Bichat, in the city’s 10th arrondissement.

There were also attacks on La Belle Equipe bar in Rue de Charonne and Boulevard Voltaire, near the Bataclan.

At least four terrorists took more than 100 people hostage at a music venue, Bataclan, where a concert was being held, before they began randomly killing at least 82. They had time to reload their weapons at least three times during the attack. Five explosions were heard when police stormed the venue. The Prefecture of Paris said the attackers detonated explosive vests during a police assault on the venue. Four terrorists were killed as police took control of the hall.

A few hundred yards from the Bataclan, the terrace of the Casa Nostra pizzeria in Rue de la Fontaine au Roi was targeted.

Shootings were also reported at the central Les Halles shopping centre and at Le Pompidou and Louvre, but they are believed now to be false alarms.

Where has this happened?

One of the attack sites is the Le Petit Cambodge restaurant in the 10th arrondissement. It is located along the Canal St Martin in the 10th arrondisement and serves Vietnamese and Cambodian food. It is situated opposite the centuries-old hospital, Hôpital Saint-Louis.

Another is near the Stade de France. The French national football team played Germany in the stadium, with President Francois Hollande in the 80,000-strong crowd. He escaped from the stadium after hearing an explosion. German Foreign Minister Steinmeier was also in the venue.

Antoine Griezman, French star footballer was playing for his country at the Stade de France against Germany while his sister attended the concert at the Bataclan, but she was able to escape the attack and survived.

Before knowing about the whereabouts of his sister, he tweeted: “Big thought for the victims of the attacks. God takes care of my sister and the French.”

But he confirmed three hours later: “Thanks God my sister was able to exit the Bataclan. All my prayers go to the victims and their families.”

A third site is a Paris music hall – the Bataclan – where a hostage situation has developed. The rock group The Eagles of Death Metal were playing a show at the time.

The hall is just a few hundred yards from the former Charlie Hebdo offices, the scene of a deadly terrorist attack in January after which more than a million Parisians sang their opposition to the bloodshed on their streets shouting “We are not afraid!” over and over.

 The Bataclan is located on the Boulevard Voltaire in Paris’s 11th arrondissement. It has a capacity of 1,500.

French police asked people in Paris to stay indoors.

All schools, museums, libraries, gyms, swimming pools and food markets in Paris were closed on Saturday.

Who are the gunmen?

This is unknown at present as the situation is still developing. However, those responsible are believed to have been dressed in black and used Kalashnikovs and hand grenades.

The President and Home Minister held an emergency meeting before Hollande travelled to the Bataclan. He has declared a state of emergency in the whole of France – the first time since 1958 – and imposed border control. The Paris Metro is shut.

Mr Hollande has cancelled his trip to the G20 meeting in Turkey this weekend to remain in France.

Source: The Telegraph