Parcel explosion at IMF's Paris office wounds employee

An employee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was injured on Thursday when a booby-trapped parcel exploded at the organisation's Paris office, according to police.

The device appeared to be "a firework, or a big firecracker, at any rate something more or less handmade, and certainly not in any way a bomb", Paris police chief Michel Cadot told reporters near the scene of the incident in the centre of the French capital.

Al Jazeera's Natacha Butler, reporting from Paris, said the letter was sent by regular post to the head of IMF's European bureau. Jeffrey Franks, a 24-year veteran of the fund, has been director of the IMF's Europe office since March 2015, according to its website.

"According to police statements, the letter was opened by the bureau chief's assistant when it exploded, wounding her face and her eyes," Butler said.

"Police say she is not in a critical condition but obviously extremely shaken by what happened."

Butler said IMF staff were evacuated from the building near the Arc de Triomphe monument and a police operation was under way.

There was no immediate claim of rersponsibility for the attack. Paris anti-terrorism prosecutors opened an investigation.

'Cowardly act' 

IMF chief Christine Lagarde said the organisation was "working closely" with French authorities to investigate the incident.

"I condemn this cowardly act of violence and reaffirm the IMF's resolve to continue our work in line with our mandate," Lagarde said.

French President Francois Hollande said authorities would go "all the way" to find those responsible.

Source: Al Jazeera and News agencies