Police rush to one of the scenes of attack in the 10th arrondissement in the capital Paris (AFP)

Central Paris witnessed several shootings yesterday evening while explosions dotted the vicinity of the Stade de France in the north of the French capital which resulted in at least 60 people being killed and a large number wounded, according to police sources.

Police evacuated the French President François Hollande from the Stade de France where he was attending a friendly match between France and Germany as security forces surrounded the stadium and prevented fans from leaving for security reasons. The French president headed for the Ministry of Interior where he led a “crisis cell”.

Reports added that three armed groups carried out the simultaneous attacks which included shooting in a restaurant in the centre of Paris and the seizure of hostages in the Bataclan theatre located in the 11th arrondissement of the capital.

Police informed Agence France-Presse (AFP) that 3 people were killed in the explosions near the Stade de France whilst 15 people were killed in the Bataclan theatre where approximately 100 hostages were continued to be held until late last night. Police counted at least 3 shootings and possibly 4 in the Bataclan vicinity (11th arrondissement) and Boulevard de Charonne (10th arrondissement).

Reuters News Agency quoted a witness who said that he heard gunshots whilst walking in a street in the 10th arrondissement and that when he arrived in front of a restaurant, there were dead bodies on the ground. Fabian Brown, a student, said that he “saw 3 bodies being placed in body bags”.