Shots Fired in French City of Marseille

(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency) A massive police operation was under way in the southern French city of Marseille Monday as authorities hunted for people who fired shots at a police car hours before the start of a visit by Prime Minister Manuel Valls, French media reported.
No injuries were reported in the shootings. Nonetheless, police told some 7,000 residents of the northern district of the city to remain at home. A nursery was also evacuated, dpa reported.
The gunmen, who reportedly were hooded and carried Kalashnikovs, remained at large and unidentified. The exact number of assailants was unknown, though most accounts said several people were involved in firing the weapons.
The shooting took place in a housing project that has a high crime rate.
One police vehicle was targeted in the incident, French media reported. Public Safety Director Pierre-Marie Bourniquel, who was in one of the police cars that responded to the incident, told broadcaster BFMTV that there were multiple blasts when he arrived at the scene.