French president Francois Hollande has said France must remain united while also calling on the population to remain vigilant against the threat of further attacks.

During an address to the nation the president confirmed four people had died in this afternoon's siege in Paris, which ended when police stormed a Jewish supermarket, killing a hostage-taker in the process. He did not clarify if this figure included the hostage-taker.

He praised "the bravery and efficiency of all the police who took part in today's operations."

“I’m proud of what they’ve done because when the order was given they carried out the assault with the result that was expected and they did that to save human lives – the lives of the hostages - and to neutralise the terrorists.”

Hollande called for vigilance and national unity in the wake of the attacks, saying unity was France’s “strongest weapon” and the French people now must demonstrate they will fight any act “that could make us enemies of each other.”

“We have all of us to be vigilant and I would like you also to feel united,” he said.

Hollande went on to say the attacks, and their perpetrators “have absolutely nothing to do with Islam as a religion.” He then described the attacks as “anti-Semitic.”

“We are a free nation and we are a nation that is not scared is not frightened.

“Long live the Republic and long live France,” he concluded.