French President Francois Hollande vowed to strike back after an emergency meeting with security officials on Saturday.

The multiple attacks across the French capital late Friday were "an act of war... committed by a terrorist army, the Islamic State, against France, against... what we are, a free country," Hollande said.

The president announced that France "will be merciless toward the barbarians of "Islamic State" and act "by all means anywhere, inside or outside the country."

The authorities raised the security level in France to its highest and declared three days of national mourning.

"All the measures to protect our fellow citizens and our territory have been taken," Hollande said.

The president said he would address parliament in an extraordinary meeting on Monday.

More to come...

dj/kms (AP, AFP, dpa)