Paris is under a terrorist attack that has left at least 40 dead, and viewers can watch live online as the dramatic attack plays out.
The full details on the terrorist attack are still coming to light, but the attacks took place across several locations. At least 15 people were killed near the Bataclan arts center, and close to 60 people are also being held hostage there. Three other people were killed in an attack in the Stade de France, which has been described as a suicide blast.
The country has been declared under a state of emergency, and military personnel are being deployed across Paris, the BBC reported.
The stadium attack took place as Germany and France were playing a soccer match, one that was attended by French President François Hollande. He was quickly evacuated and was not harmed.
“As I speak, terrorist attacks of an unprecedented scale are taking place in the Paris region,” he said in a nationally televised address. “There are several dozen dead, lots more wounded, it’s horrific.”
Many people have been following online as the Paris crisis unfolds, with some live video streaming sites with tens of thousands of concurrent users. The footage showed an enormous police presence on the streets of the city, with thousands of soccer fans stranded inside the stadium after the attack outside. It was not clear if there were any more active threats beyond the ongoing hostage crisis, however.
Coverage of the Paris terrorist attack has dominated television, with live video being broadcast across the globe. The event is also being uncovered by residents themselves, who have tweeted pictures of the carnage left in the streets after the shootings.
Bodies littered in the streets of central #Paris like in a war zone. Police now say 20 dead but death toll rising. pic.twitter.com/Acn7yRud4n
— Julie Lenarz (@MsJulieLenarz) November 13, 2015
The terrorist attack drew an international response as well, with United States President Barack Obama calling it an outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians.
“This is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share,” Obama said in a statement delivered in the White House Briefing Room (via CNN ). “We stand prepared and ready to provide whatever assistance the people of France need to respond.”
Obama added, “This is a heartbreaking situation, and obviously those of us here in the United States know what it’s like and we’ve gone through these kinds of episodes ourselves.”
Ban Ki-Moon calls for ‘immediate release’ of Paris hostages https://t.co/0bhLw4yt1G pic.twitter.com/QOPckwB62V
— ITV News (@itvnews) November 13, 2015
LIVE updates, photos and video from the scene of the #Paris attacks: https://t.co/ksvWrYOWFL pic.twitter.com/MWYQMkTfnU
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) November 13, 2015
While no group has officially claimed responsibility for the Paris terrorist attack, the New York Times noted that the attack had the hallmarks of an Islamist militant group. Afterward, there was celebration online from groups connected to ISIS, the report added.
“A witness quoted by BFM television said he heard rounds of automatic rifle fire and someone shouting ‘Allahu akbar!’ at The Bataclan.
“The police were ordering bystanders in the that area to get off the streets, French television reported.
“French news media reported that Kalashnikov rifles had been involved in the shootings — a favored weapon of militants who have attacked targets in France — and that many rounds had been fired.”
The attack also took place near the headquarters of Charlie Hebdo , the satirical magazine that was the target of a terrorist attack in January. It was not immediately clear if the attacks were connected in any way.
Viewers can watch live coverage of the Paris terrorist attack be clicking here for coverage from Sky News. Separate coverage is also available through CNN .
[Image via Sky News ]