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A soldier has shot a machete-wielding attacker who shouted "Allahu akhbar" near the world famous Louvre museum in Paris this morning.

Soldiers patrolling as part of France’s on-going State of Emergency stopped the man getting into the building shortly after 9am.

"He was carrying a suitcase and was refused access," said a police source at the scene.

"The man immediately withdrew a knife, and attacked.

"It was at this moment that a soldier used his weapon to disable the men, who was wounded.

"The area has been evacuated."

A dramatic picture taken by a tourist shows the moment soldiers shot the suspected terrorist.

(Image: AFP) (Image: AFP)

He could be seen lying on the ground as soldiers anxiously point their guns. The man is now being treated in hospital with serious injuries.

The drama unfolded next to the Carrousel du Louvre – a vast underground shopping centre built into the museum complex.

Police union official Yves Lefebvre said the man attacked soldiers when they told him he could not enter the underground shopping mall with his bags.

Mr Lefebvre says police found two machetes on the attacker.

A soldier was slightly wounded during the incident with other soldiers firing five shots at the attacker.

(Image: AFP) (Image: Rex Features) (Image: AFP)

He is now being treated with serious injuries in hospital. His identity is not yet known.

A second person was detained because of suspicious behaviour, police said.

Terrified tourists inside the world-famous museum was kept locked inside while the incident was under way.

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Pictures show people huddled together with some taking to social media.

A shop worker who was in the shopping centre at the time of the attack said: "We heard gunfire and reacted immediately – shutting down the grills in front of the shop, and retreating into the back."

The 19-year-old man, who asked not to be named added: "Once the all-clear was given by the police we got out as quickly as possible. I’m on my way home.

"You always hear about the possibility of terrorism, especially in the area around the Louvre, but this was the realthing."

(Image: AFP) (Image: REUTERS)

A tweet from France's Interior Ministry said: "Grave public security event under way in Paris in the Louvre quarter, priority (given) to the intervention of security forces and emergency personnel."

The area is always packed with thousands of tourists from all over the world, all of whom have their bags inspected before entry.

(Image: REUTERS)

By 11am, the entire area was shut down, as hundreds of extra soldiers and police flooded into the area.

Police said the area had been evacuated. No explosives are thought to have been found in the attacker's bag.

(Image: @voiceb0xx/Twitter) (Image: AFP)

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"We’ve been told to leave – it’s very frightening," said John O’Shea, a 52-year-old Canadian who was with his wife and young son.

"Everybody is talking terrorism, but we really don’t know what’s going on. Apparently a number of shots were fired."

The Rue de Rivoli running alongside the museum was closed to traffic while trains were being pushed through the Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre metro station without stopping.

Paris is on a high state of terrorist alert following murderous attacks by Islamic State operatives in 2015.

On November 13th 2015, 130 people were murdered in a single night of violence which included attacks on the Stade de France, the Bataclan concert venue and cafés and restaurants.