Paris attacks from massacre to police raid

From France's worst ever terror attacks to a massive police raid on a suburban flat housing suspected jihadists, here is a look at five days that have shaken Paris.

- November 13: 'horror' -

At 9:20 pm (2020 GMT), the first of three explosions takes place outside the Stade de France national stadium during a friendly between France and Germany.

The blast signals the start of a chain of coordinated suicide bombings and shootings targeting restaurants and bars in the trendy east of Paris, and, in the worst violence, the Bataclan concert hall, where three attackers kill 89 people.

- November 14: State of emergency -

Francois Hollande declares a state of emergency and orders tighter border controls.
At 12:30 am (2330 GMT) police storm the Bataclan. Two of the attackers blow themselves up. The third is shot by police.

Police say they believe there were eight attackers in total.

Visiting the Bataclan, Hollande says France will strike back at the jihadists "without mercy". He calls the attacks an "act of war" and declares three days of national mourning.

Sporting events are called off and major tourist attractions are closed. Public schools, museums, libraries, sports halls and food markets are also shuttered. Throughout the day people visit the sites of the attacks to pay homage to the victims with flowers and candles.

The Paris prosecutor says at least 129 people were killed.
The Islamic State jihadist group claims responsibility, saying the attacks were in revenge for French air strikes on its targets in Syria.

The presidency announces the deployment of 1,500 additional soldiers in Paris.

- November 15: the Belgian connection -

Belgium issues an international arrest warrant for Belgian-born French national Salah Abdeslam, the brother of Brahim, one of Friday's suicide bombers. French authorities describe Salah as a "dangerous individual".

- November 16: a minute's silence -
France and other countries in Europe observe a minute's silence at noon (1100 GMT).

Hollande says France will "intensify its operations in Syria", hours after the first series of air strikes against the jihadists' Syrian bases since Friday's attacks.

Addressing a rare sitting of both houses of parliament he calls on lawmakers to back a three-month extension of the state of emergency and calls for constitutional reforms to boost the state's ability to fight terrorism.

- November 17: A ninth attacker -

Police sources say a video from the night of the attacks confirms the existence of a ninth assailant.

- November 18: Raid in search of 'mastermind' -

At around 04:20 am (0320 GMT), police launch a seven-hour raid on an apartment building in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis in the hunt for Belgian-born suspect Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the alleged mastermind of the attacks.

Meeting with fierce resistance, officers fire more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition in a battle with a group of people holed up in the building, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins says.

At least two are killed -- a woman thought to have blown herself up with a suicide vest and another body that was found riddled with bullets.

Five officers sustain minor injuries.

Eight people are arrested.

The fate of Abaaoud is unknown.
Source: AFP