“I want to say we are going to lead a war which will be pitiless.”

French president François Hollande confirmed that “unprecedented terror attacks were under way in Paris”, and a state of emergency has been declared across France in the light of the violent attacks. Its borders have been shut for the first time since World War II. He said France will show no mercy in tracking down the attackers.

“It’s a horror,” he said in a televised statement to the French republic. “Two decisions will be taken: a state of emergency will be decreed which means certain places will be closed, traffic may be banned and searches may also take place throughout the Paris region. To all those who have seen these awful things, I want to say we are going to lead a war which will be pitiless.”