On a night when thousands of residents and tourists were relaxing and fans were enjoying a soccer match between France and world champion Germany in Paris, horror struck in an unprecedented manner.
CNN is reporting that at least 128 people have been killed in the gunfire and blasts.
France has declared a national state of emergency and has closed its borders.
Terrorists some with AK‑47s, some reportedly with bombs strapped to them attacked sites throughout the French capital and at the stadium where the soccer match was underway.
Scores were killed in the coordinated attacks, leaving a nation in mourning and the world in shock.
A number of people were dining at a Cambodian restaurant, when the shooting started from the street and all of a sudden people heard huge gunshots and glass coming through the windows.
14 people were killed at the restaurant.
The worst carnage occurred at the Bataclan concert hall, with at least 112 left dead.
A journalist who was at a heavy metal concert there escaped and told CNN that it was a bloodbath.
He said the men were speaking French and two men dressed in black started shooting and after wounded people fell to the floor, the gunmen shot them again, execution‑style.
Four attackers were killed, including three of them who were wearing explosive belts.
It is still not clear who is responsible.
Paris residents have been asked to stay indoors and about 1,500 military personnel are being deployed across the city as a number of gunmen are still at large.
Despite reports of multiple deaths and shootings across the city, its citizens have shown they are bloodied, but not broken.
Three people were killed when an explosive device was detonated at an entry gate to the Stade de France in Paris, where a friendly football match between France and world champions Germany was taking place.
According to Sydney Morning Herald, soccer fans sang the French national anthem as they evacuated the venue.
That spirit of resilience was echoed by French President Francois Hollande, who asked people to show compassion and “keep cool”.
After the explosions, Hollande was whisked away from the stadium where 80,000 people had been watching the game.
Meanwhile, we have sent questions to the Foreign Affairs Ministry in relation to Fijians living in France and are awaiting a response from them.
Source: CNN, Sydney Morning Herald, BBC
