On Friday, Nov. 13, eight extremists in three teams carried out attacks on six sites in France. Just over 130 are confirmed dead, with more than 300 reported injured in the French capital of Paris. ISIS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has since claimed responsibility for the attacks, and promised additional action against a number of the world’s most bustling cities in the coming weeks.
These strikes were preceded by bombings in Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut. ISIS has also claimed responsibility for these assaults as well. In two attacks by suicide bombers the day prior to the carnage in Paris, more than 40 were killed and almost 200 injured in Beirut.
The first attack was a series of explosions just outside of the Stade de France, an 81,000-seat soccer stadium that houses Paris Saint-Germain, the country’s best soccer team. The first explosion, according to the Wall Street Journal, came shortly after security stopped a man wearing an explosive belt from entering a soccer match between France and Germany. The bomber then stepped back and detonated the explosives, killing himself and one other bystander. Two other bombs were detonated, one at another entrance to the stadium, and one at a nearby fast-food restaurant.
The most casualties came at the Bataclan theater, where a concert put on by the band Eagles of Death Metal was taking place. At least 89 have been confirmed dead, with nearly 100 others critically injured. The onslaught began when three men, dressed in black, began shooting into the crowd and then systematically executing the wounded.
An additional attack occurred when one man opened fire on a restaurant in Little Cambodia, killing 15 and injuring another 15. Another bar and restaurant were attacked with no reported casualties.
According to BBC News, one of the attackers has been identified as 29-year-old Frenchmen Ismail Mostefai. Mostefai has a criminal record, but has never been jailed. He was, however, flagged as a possible extremist.
CIA officials say that there is no immediate threat to the United States, though they are closely monitoring the events unfolding overseas.
Allyson Eslin contributed to this report.
