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| DEVELOPING: Police operation & evacuation in Brussels, snipers & deminers called in – report | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A police operation is currently underway in the Brussels district of Etterbeek, local media have reported, adding that at least 50 police officers, including snipers and deminers have been deployed. Local residents have also reportedly been evacuated. | A police operation is currently underway in the Brussels district of Etterbeek, local media have reported, adding that at least 50 police officers, including snipers and deminers have been deployed. Local residents have also reportedly been evacuated. |
| The police are currently searching a building in the area, a Reuters journalist at the scene said, adding that forensics experts have been seen entering the building. | |
| Emergency services have been seen in the area, Belgian RTBF TV channel reports. | |
| RTBF reported that at 1.30pm local time (11:30 GMT) the deminers left the scene, but the area remains cordoned off. | |
| No official comment concerning the operation has been released. | |
| The operation comes less than a day after the detention of the final suspect in the Paris terror attacks, Mohamed Abrini, in the city of Anderlecht, Belgium. Abrini is believed to be the "man in the hat" pictured with the attackers at Brussels Airport last month, just before two bomb blasts rocked the site, VRT cited various sources as saying. | |
| Belgium is on high alert following deadly attacks in Brussels on March 22. The Belgian capital was hit by twin suicide bombings at Zaventem Airport and Maelbeek Metro station, killing at least 32 people and injuring scores more. | Belgium is on high alert following deadly attacks in Brussels on March 22. The Belgian capital was hit by twin suicide bombings at Zaventem Airport and Maelbeek Metro station, killing at least 32 people and injuring scores more. |
| The Metro station was not far from the building housing the EU Commission and the Council of the European Union, as well as NATO’s headquarters. | The Metro station was not far from the building housing the EU Commission and the Council of the European Union, as well as NATO’s headquarters. |