Brussels Terrorist Attacks, Over 26 Victims and 136 Injured

UPDATE: 

The Belgian French-speaking radio station and television RTBF announced this morning that the Bakraoui brothers, two Bruxelles citizens, are among the alleged perpetrators of the attack committed on Tuesday in Zaventem International Airport.

Until now, Khalid and Brahim El Bakraoui were known to police in Brussels for thefts and robberies, but not for terrorism-related acts. On Tuesday evening, the Belgian police sought help from the public to identify a man suspected of being one of the bombers. Police released a photo captured with cameras shortly before the explosion.

 

UPDATE:  The Islamic State claimed the attacks in Brussels

The Jihadist group Islamic State claimed the terrorist attacks in Brussels, announced the news agency Amaq 

Fighters of the Islamic State detonated a series of bombs, belts and explosive devices Tuesday at the airport and on a metro station in the center of Brussels, capital of Belgium, a country participating in the international coalition against Islamic State, report Reuters and EFE.

 

 

UPDATE: Turkey and Six Gulf Arab States condemned the attacks in Brussels

The Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and the spokesman of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the attacks in the Belgian capital. The General Secretary of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdullatif al-Zayan, stated  that the GCC will provide support to Belgium if needed. GCC includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the UAE.

 

 

UPDATE: Attacks on Brussels: 'controlled explosion' of some suspicious packages; balance has reached 34 dead

 A team of Belgian engineers conducted a "controlled explosion" of a suspicious object on Brussels International Airport, after the attacks products Tuesday morning, according to AFP.

Previously, the private TV station VTM, quoted by Reuters reported that the Belgian police found a belt with explosives abandoned on the international airport of Brussels and a team of engineers will proceed shortly to neutralize them.

According to the Belga agency, another suspicious package was neutralized in the Ixelles district in southern Brussels. The operation took place near Vrije Universiteit in the Brussels campus.

Meanwhile, the balance of the victims in the Belgian capital has reached 34 dead - 14 at the international airport and 20 on the Maelbeek Metro Station, announced the mayor of Brussels.

 

At least 26 people died and 136 were injured in terrorist attacks at the Zaventem airport and at Maelbeek Metro Station, near the European Union institutions, according to the Ministry of Health and Belgian transport operator STIB.

At the Maelbeek Metro Station, near the EU institutions two explosions occurred shortly after 9:00 local time. Health Minister Maggie De Bloc said that many people are still stuck in the subway station Maelbeek.

According to the report of STIB transport operator and the Federal Prosecutor's office in Brussels, two explosions might have resulted in 15 dead and 55 injured, ten seriously . Many wounded, who had mostly burns, were transported to the burn center at Neder -Over- Heembeek.

Witnesses at the airport said they felt the shock waves from the explosions and that the first explosion took place near the Belfius bank counter near the lifts in the left wing of the departures terminal. A second explosion was more powerful and was produced close to Starbucks at the center terminal. Witness statements indicates that one of the explosions may have been caused by a bomb hidden in a bag, because some of the victims had practically their legs shattered by the deflagration, Reuters reports.

The Belgian General Prosecutor confirmed the hypothesis of suicide bombing at the Zaventem airport in Brussels, reports Le Figaro. Just before the two explosions at the airport, gunshots were fired and Arabic shouts were heard, transmits the news agency Belga. Authorities have enabled the regional disaster plan and now all roads leading to the airport, including rail traffic to and from the airport were closed.

The airport was evacuated and all flights were suspended.