Breaking: Eleven dead after gunmen armed with rocket launchers storm offices of French satirical newspaper at centre of Prophet Mohammed storm

Up to 11 people were killed and five left critically wounded today when armed gunmen carried out a 'massacre' at the offices of a notoriously anti-Islamic satirical magazine in Paris.

Two masked men brandishing Kalashnikovs and rocket launchers burst into the Charlie Hebdo headquarters, opening fire on staff.

By midday, there were reports of up to 11 people dead and 10 wounded, five critically, including journalists, administrative staff, and police officers who attended the scene.

Pierre de Cossette, a broadcast journalist with Europe1 News, said: 'Several men in black cagoules were heard to shout "the Prophet has been avenged".' 

'They came from the building opposite with big guns. It has a bunch of different companies inside. Some of our co-workers work there so we were frightened for them.

'They weren't just firing inside the Charlie Hebdo offices. They were firing in the street too. 

'We feared for our lives so we hid under our desks so they wouldn't see us. Both men were dressed in black from head to toe and their faces were covered so I didn't see them. 

'They were wearing military clothes, it wasn't common clothing, like they were soldiers.' 

A visibly shocked French President François Hollande, speaking live near the scene of the shooting, said: ‘At this moment, there are 11 killed and four critically injured – this is not the final figure.

‘We do not yet know the exact number of victims. The security level in Paris has been raised. We are looking for the perpetrators of this crime.

‘France is today in front of a shock, in front of a terrorist attack. This newspaper was threatened several rimes in the past and we need to show we are a united country.

‘We have to be firm, and we have to be stand strong with the international community in the coming days and weeks.

‘We are at a very difficult moment following several terrorist attacks. We are threated because we are a country of freedom

 

‘We will punish the attackers. We will look for the people responsible.’  

A source close to the investigation said two men 'armed with a Kalashnikov and a rocket-launcher' stormed the building in central Paris and 'fire was exchanged with security forces.' 

There were reports that the gunmen were looking for people by name.  

The latest tweet published by the magazine's official Twitter account featured a cartoon of Abu Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State.

After the shooting, hundreds of comments were posted on the Charlie Hebdo Twitter page, with one user, David Rault, writing: 'A sad day for freedom of expression.'  

The offices of the same magazine were burnt down in a petrol attack in 2015 after running a magazine cover of the Prophet Mohammed as a cartoon character.