World leaders offered condolences over the the deadliest violence to strike France since World War II; a wave of coordinated attacks left more than 120 dead in scenes of carnage in Paris Friday.
USA
US President Barack Obama led a chorus of global condemnation, saying it was “an attack on all of humanity”.
“Whenever these kinds of attacks happen, we’ve always been able to count on the French people to stand with us. They have been an extraordinary counterterrorism partner. And we intend to be there with them in that same fashion,” Obama said in a brief speech from the White House.
“It’s an attack not just on the people of France. But this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share. We’re going to do whatever it takes to work with the French people and with nations around the world to bring these terrorists to justice and to go after any terrorist networks that go after our people.” he further said.
Germany and Europe
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said they were “deeply shocked” by the attacks.
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini tweeted that she was “in the process of following with pain and dread the events in Paris”.
“Europe is with France and the French people,” she said.
Britian
British Prime Minister David Cameron also said he was “shocked” after at least 18 people were reported killed in multiple attacks in Paris, including one near the Stade de France sports stadium.
“I am shocked by events in Paris tonight,” the Prime Minister wrote on Twitter. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the French people. We will do whatever we can to help.”
I am shocked by events in Paris tonight. Our thoughts and prayers are with the French people. We will do whatever we can to help.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) November 13, 2015
Russia
The Kremlin also condemned the “hateful “string of attacks and the “inhuman murders” of at least 39 people in Paris, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, Russian news agencies reported. President Vladimir Putin offered condolences and support to his counterpart Francois Hollande and the French people, TASS news agency said.
Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed solidarity with France. “I am shocked and saddened that so many people have been killed and injured in violent attacks in Paris,” Trudeau said, offering his condolences. “Canada stands with France at this dark time and offers all possible assistance.”
I am shocked and saddened that so many people have been killed and injured in violent attacks in #Paris. Canada stands with France. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 13, 2015
Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country stands “shoulder to shoulder” with France in the “war against terrorism.”
United Nation
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks and called for any hostages to be immediately released.
“The secretary-general condemns the despicable terrorist attacks carried out today in various locations in and around Paris,” according to a statement from his spokesman.
“The secretary-general extends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured. He stands with the government and people of France.”
Pakistan
President Mamnoon Hussain expressing solidarity with the French people said terrorists are enemies of humanity. He said terrorism is an international phenomenon and a joint strategy should be thrashed out for its complete eradication.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan stands firm behind the people and Government of France in this hour.
In a statement issued, the PM said that terrorists belong to no religion and nationality. Militants are enemies of humanity.
He said that Pakistan has been fighting terrorism for a long time and is succeeding significantly now. He vowed to continue war on terror and support all militant-hit countries in the cause for a better world.
The foreign office in a statement said the people and Government of Pakistan wish to convey their heartfelt sympathies and deepest condolences to the bereaved families and the people and Government of France. We stand with them in their hour of grief. We pray for speedy recovery of the injured.
The statement reiterated Pakistan’s condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Spain
Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo, the foreign minister of Spain, raised the specter of a militant attack.
“All of this confirms that we are facing an unprecedented challenge, a hugely cruel challenge,” he told public television TVE.
Turkey
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey also offered his condolences.
Dutch
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders tweeted, “Shocked and appalled by new attacks in #Paris. Words are not enough.”
“As a country that knows very well the manner and consequences of terrorism, we understand perfectly the suffering that France is experiencing now,” he said.
Australia
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said “this is indeed a black Friday for France and for the world”.
Singapore
Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan of Singapore, which raised its alert level, said “this is a terrible assault on a beautiful city with warm, cheerful, hospitable people”.
“We must not let the terrorists divide us or destroy our spirit. I know the French spirit will prevail,” said Balakrishnan, adding that he would be in Paris for global climate change talks starting at the end of this month.
Philippine
Philippine President Benigno Aquino’s government, which is preparing to host the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on November 18-19, said the Paris attacks demanded “heightened security from all of us”.
China
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke of “these tragic times for the French people” as he condemned “in the strongest ways this barbarous act.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei added that Beijing was “profoundly shocked”, saying “terrorism is a common challenge, which the whole (of) humanity is facing”.
India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said on Twitter the “news from Paris is anguishing & dreadful”.
World Trade Center illuminated in Blue
In New York, One World Trade Center, the skyscraper built on the site of the September 11 attacks of 2001, was illuminated in blue, white and red in tribute to the French flag.
“We are reminded in this time of tragedy that the bonds of liberte, egalite, fraternite are not just the values French people share, but we share,” Obama said in Washington, referencing the French national motto.
“Those go far beyond any act of terrorism or the hateful vision of those who perpetrated the crimes this evening.”
Facebook sets up safety check for Paris friends
Facebook launched a check-in feature to let people know that friends in Paris were safe after a series of bombings and shootings.
The “Paris Terror Attacks” safety check let people signal whether they were out of harm’s way, then notified all those they know at the leading social network.
“Quickly find and connect with friends in the area,” a message at the Facebook Safety Check page read.
“Mark them safe if you know they’re OK.”
The feature also allowed people to check which friends listed as being in Paris had not yet checked in as safe.
France has been on high alert since the attacks in January against Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket that left 17 dead. Several other attacks have been foiled through the year.
Paris attack overview
The assailants struck at least six very different venues, ranging from the national sports stadium to a pizzeria.
- At least 120 people were killed and 200 were left injured at multiple locations in the French capital
- Attackers targeted Bataclan concert hall, a sports stadium and restaurants
- Gunmen used AK-47s; one of the three explosions outside the stadium was caused by a suicide bomber
- At least five militants were behind the attacks
- France declares emergency, closes borders
Police said at least 120 people were killed in total in the city which is still reeling from jihadist attacks in January.
Map showing sites attacked in Paris on Friday. —Agencies
“Terrorist attacks of an unprecedented level are underway across the Paris region,” Hollande said in an emotional televised message. “It’s a horror.”
President Francois declared a state of emergency across the entire country and cancelled his trip to the G20 summit due to take place this weekend in Turkey, in wake of what he called an unprecedented terrorist attack.
Prosecutors said at least five attackers had been “neutralised” in total.
According to a statement, issued from the presidency, 1,500 extra soldiers deployed to Paris after attacks.
The Paris metro railway was closed and schools, universities and municipal buildings were ordered to stay shut on Saturday. However some rail and air services are expected to run.
Concert venue attacked
A full house of 1,500 people were packed into the popular venue in eastern Paris for a concert by the US band Eagles of Death Metal.
About an hour after the band took to the stage, the whole concert hall was turned into “a bloodbath” according to a French radio reporter at the scene.
Black-clad gunmen wielding AK-47s stormed into the hall and fired calmly and methodically at hundreds of screaming concert-goers, killing at least 100.
Fellow radio presenter Pierre Janaszak heard the first shots and thought it was part of the act.
“But we quickly understood. They were just firing into the crowd.”
He said he heard an attacker say, “It’s the fault of Hollande, it’s the fault of your president, he should not have intervened in Syria.”
Four assailants were killed after police stormed in — three by activating their suicide vests and a fourth shot dead — but not before they had mown down some 100 people.
Stadium attacked
Three loud explosions were heard outside France’s national stadium during the first half of a friendly international football match between France and Germany.
At least five people died outside the glittering venue which staged the 1998 World Cup final with several others seriously hurt.
One of the explosions was near a McDonald’s restaurant on the fringes of the stadium.
At least one of the two explosions in rue Jules-Rimet was a suicide bomb attack.
French President Francois Hollande, who was watching the game, was immediately evacuated.
The match was eventually completed and the stadium emptied in a relatively calm atmosphere.
Japanese restaurant targeted
A little further east on Rue de Charonne 18 people were killed, with one witness saying a Japanese restaurant was the main target.
“There was blood everywhere,” the witness said.
Another man said he heard shots ring out, in sharp bursts, for two or three minutes.
“I saw several bloody bodies on the ground. I don’t know if they were dead,” he said.
Cambodian restaurant attacked
Pierre Montfort lives close to a Cambodian restaurant on Paris’ Rue Bichat, a little further north, was the scene of another attack.
“We heard the sound of guns, 30-second bursts. It was endless. We thought it was fireworks,” he said.
Florence said she arrived by scooter a minute or so after.
“It was surreal, everyone was on the ground. No one was moving inside the Petit Cambodge restaurant and everyone was on the ground in bar Carillon,” she said.
“It was very calm — people didn’t understand what was going on. A young girl was being carried in the arms of a young man. She seemed to be dead.”
Pizzeria targeted
A few hundred metres from the Bataclan, the terrace of the Casa Nostra pizzeria was targeted.
Five people were killed by attackers wielding automatic rifles, according to witness Mathieu, 35.
“There were at least five dead around me, others in the road, there was blood everywhere. I was very lucky.”
Explosion at Boulevard Voltaire
A judicial source said one of the attackers exploded his suicide vest on the Boulevard Voltaire, near the Bataclan. It is not yet known if there were any injuries from the explosion.
‘Corpses everywhere’
The most bloody of the attacks was at the Bataclan, where police said around 100 people were killed.
“We heard so many gunshots and the terrorists were very calm, very determined,” Julien Pearce, a reporter for France’s Europe 1 radio, told CNN while the hostage crisis was still underway.
“They reloaded three or four times … and they didn’t shout anything. They didn’t say anything.” He said friends were still inside as he spoke.
“They are hiding in some kind of room in the dark and they text(ed) me, and they are very afraid, of course, and they are waiting for the police to intervene, but it’s been over two hours now and this is terrible.”
Hundreds of police had gathered outside and armed officers eventually stormed the venue at around 2335 GMT, accompanied by a series of explosions.
At the Stade de France, spectators flooded the pitch as news of the attacks spread before organisers started evacuations.
Stunned onlookers had begun to emerge from nearby bars, while many others continued to eat their meals in restaurants, apparently unaware of the carnage that had taken place only a few metres away.
“We heard gunfire, 30 seconds of fire, it was interminable, we thought it was fireworks,” said Pierre Montfort, who lives near rue Bichat, where one of the attacks took place.
President Francois Hollande and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced that a crisis cell had been set up.
“The president of the Republic, the prime minister, the interior minister are in a inter-ministerial crisis cell,” the government said in a statement.
Counter-terrorism prosecutors said they had opened a preliminary investigation.
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, called for residents to stay at home.
The president office stated that Hollande has cancelled his visit to the G20 summit in Turkey following a wave of attacks in Paris. He will be represented by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Finance Minister Michel Sapin.
Football fans leave the Stade de France stadium following the friendly football match between France and Germany in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on November 13, 2015, after a series of gun attacks occurred across Paris as well as explosions outside the national stadium where France was hosting Germany. —AFP
This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.
