At least 12 people were killed when gunmen armed with Kalashnikovs and a rocket-launcher opened fire in the offices of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday.

The latest tweet on Charlie Hebdo's account was a cartoon of the so-called “Islamic State” militant group leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and it is believed it is a rael reson for this attack.

The satirical newspaper gained notoriety in February 2006 when it reprinted cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) that had originally appeared in Danish daily Jyllands-Posten, causing fury across the Muslim world.

Its offices were fire-bombed in November 2011 when it published a cartoon of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and under the title "Charia Hebdo".

Despite being taken to court under anti-racism laws, the weekly continued to publish controversial cartoons of the Muslim prophet.

In September 2012 Charlie Hebdo published cartoons of a prophet as violent protests were taking place in several countries over a low-budget film, titled "Innocence of Muslims", which was made in the United States and insulted the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).