French media reported on Friday that a soldier has opened fire on a man armed with a knife at a shopping centre next to the famous Louvre museum in Paris.

Reports say the soldier opened fire on the knifeman after he attacked him at the Louvre Carrousel shopping centre on Friday morning.

French Prime Minister calls @MuseeLouvre attack ‘terrorist in nature’ https://t.co/RldJgraKwv pic.twitter.com/kK7za2doUL

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) February 3, 2017

According to reports the attacker was shot in the leg. A security cordon has been set up and the underground Louvre Carrousel shopping centre has been evacuated.

What we know about the Louvre attack at 10:20 GMT pic.twitter.com/9gyGqqmlkg

— AFP news agency (@AFP) February 3, 2017

250 people currently on lockdown inside Louvre in Paris – Interior Ministry to evacuate them in ‘small groups’ https://t.co/Jp4080dJDo pic.twitter.com/8aHN2lLzFk

— ITV News (@itvnews) February 3, 2017

Machete-wielding attacker is in a ‘serious condition’, say officials https://t.co/RldJgraKwvpic.twitter.com/bDgXvaTYpY

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) February 3, 2017

Emergency services seen outside Louvre museum after knifeman shot by soldier https://t.co/RldJgraKwvpic.twitter.com/zPpZetJHGf

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) February 3, 2017

First footage from scene at Louvre where a soldier has reportedly shot a knife-wielding attacker https://t.co/0MtjBgqcmr pic.twitter.com/S0VG0ZWt2S

— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) February 3, 2017

Reports on Twitter said tourists at the museum were being moved into rooms to keep them safe. The Louvre itself has declined to comment on the situation.

#Louvre#Paris Ne diffusez pas de fausses informations et suivez les consignes de #sécurité des comptes officiels pic.twitter.com/5Dz117Y4xL

— Ministère Intérieur (@Place_Beauvau) February 3, 2017

Images on Twitter also appeared to show worried visitors outside the world famous museum.

“Something is going down at The #Louvre 30 National Police vehicles with guns drawn,” said one tweeter.

An alarm can be heard in the background. A worried passerby can be heard saying: “I wonder if it’s a training exercise”.

Friend sends pic from inside the #Louvre , tourists being evacuated into locked down halls pic.twitter.com/1UxMkBsmPJ

— Wang Feng (@ulywang) February 3, 2017

France’s interior ministry confirmed on Twitter that a serious security operation was underway in the area around the Louvre.

Paris and the rest of France is on high alert for terrorism after a series of attacks in recent years.

Since the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks of January 2015 French soldiers have been patrolling the streets around sensitive sites such as tourist areas and shopping centres.