At least 60 killed in Paris terror attacks, 100 taken hostage

A series of explosions and shootings killed at least 60 people in Paris Friday night in the worst acts of violence to hit France since World War II.

The seemingly-coordinated attacks took place at multiple locations in the French capital, including a caf and a stadium where a soccer game was interrupted by an apparent suicide bombing, sending the crowd pouring onto the pitch. Eyewitnesses claim that the assailants carried Kalashnikov rifles.

Some 100 hostages are reportedly being held at the Bataclan theater, where Californian rock band Eagles of Death Metal were performing Friday.

Reports of gunfire and ongoing killings within the theater were followed by a police assault on the building at about 6:30 p.m., reported by eyewitnesses posting to Twitter and other online media. Agence France-Presse confirmed the assaultand the fact the venue may have had more than 1,000 people in it for the concert.

Julian Pearce, speaking to CNN, escaped the building and described it as a "bloodbath." Pearce said that the hostage-takers were not wearing masks, and that he saw at least 20 bodies in the building.

There were further reports of gunfire at a food market near the center of town.

French President Francois Hollande declared a state of emergency in the capital and throughout the le-de-France and said that the crimes taking place would be stopped. The attack, he said, represented a terrible hardship and said that his thoughts were with the victims and their families.

He also closed the French borders, an unprecedented measure in modern Europe.

U.S. President Obama said that the attacks were an outrageous act of terrorism and that the U.S. would do all it could to help France.

"This is not just an attack on Paris or the people of France, but on the values that we all share," Obama said. "France is our oldest ally. The French have stood at our shoulder time and time again in the struggle against extremism, and Paris itself stands for the values of human progress. the values of libert, egalit, fraternit."

The band performing at the theater is reportedly safe.

ABC News quotes Paris Deputy Mayor Patrick Klugman as saying it is too early to draw conclusions about who is responsible. The BBC reports that attacks took place at the Petit Cambodge restaurant in the 11th district, near the Bataclan arts centre, and near the Stade de France.

A BBC journalist at the Petit Cambodge restaurant says he can see 10 people on the road either dead or seriously injured.He says police have now arrived and sealed off the area.An eyewitness told Liberation he had heard more than 100 rounds being fired at a cafe in rue de Charonne.There are reports of up to six gunmen involved.

French media put the death toll at 60 as of 5:35 p.m. EST.

The New York Times reports that President Hollande was evacuated from the ongoing France-Germany match as explosions could be heard.

It was unclear whether there was a link in any of the violence to terrorism but French media reported that Kalashnikov rifles were involved in the shootings a favored weapon of militants who have attacked targets in France and that many rounds were fired.The shootings occurred near the former headquarters of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical newspaper where shootings in January traumatized France.Police sirens sounded throughout central Paris on Friday night.

An explosion is heard, loud enough to immediately disrupt the soccer match, in the following clip; it appears to have been a suicide bombing, though the reports are unclear.https://vine.co/v/iBb2x00UVlv

The Washington Post reports that Parisians are pouring onto the streets despite a curfew. Reporter Ryan Weber:

Some of the main French Metro stations were closed down on Friday night, including the one at Gare du Nord, one of the citys principal train stations While Paris residents were urged to stay indoors, hundreds streamed down the Boulevard Magenta waving French flags, trying to get to the stadium where the shooting occurred, to show solidarity with the victims.