French special forces evacuate employees from mall after gunmen attack

French police commandos were called after armed men raided a Primark store in Paris. - AFP

PARIS, July 13, 2015 (AFP) - Special forces evacuated 18 people from a mall near Paris Monday after gunmen attacked a Primark store inside, in what is believed to be an attempt to rob the shop, police said.

"Around 6:30 am (0430 GMT), three armed criminals went into the Primark store for what we think was initially an attempt at armed robbery," a police source, who wished to remain anonymous, said of the incident at Villeneuve-la-Garenne.