MTVN
15-01-2015, 07:33 PM
Two people have been killed in an anti-terror operation in eastern Belgium, local officials say.
A third person was wounded in the raid in the town of Verviers, according to Belgian TV. Several arrests have been made.
Witnesses reported hearing heavy gunfire for several minutes and at least three explosions.
Unconfirmed reports said raids were also taking place in Brussels and elsewhere in Belgium.
An official quoted by AFP news agency said the raid in Verviers was "jihadist-related".
"An operation is under way," a source in the mayor's office told AFP, but gave no details.
The area around the train station has been cordoned off and reports on social media say there is a heavy police presence in the town centre.
Media reports suggested those targeted were suspected jihadists who had recently returned from Syria.
Intelligence had indicated that they had been planning an attack, the reports added.
Verviers is in the province of Liege and has a population of about 56,000.
The incident comes a week after attacks in neighbouring France that killed 17 people.
Belgian media has reported that some of the weapons used in the attacks in Paris were bought near the Midi train station in Brussels.
The attacks - on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, a kosher market and police - have heightened security fears in several European countries.
In May last year, four people were killed inside the Jewish museum in Brussels by a Frenchman of Algerian descent.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30840160
Hope all police and innocents go unharmed
A third person was wounded in the raid in the town of Verviers, according to Belgian TV. Several arrests have been made.
Witnesses reported hearing heavy gunfire for several minutes and at least three explosions.
Unconfirmed reports said raids were also taking place in Brussels and elsewhere in Belgium.
An official quoted by AFP news agency said the raid in Verviers was "jihadist-related".
"An operation is under way," a source in the mayor's office told AFP, but gave no details.
The area around the train station has been cordoned off and reports on social media say there is a heavy police presence in the town centre.
Media reports suggested those targeted were suspected jihadists who had recently returned from Syria.
Intelligence had indicated that they had been planning an attack, the reports added.
Verviers is in the province of Liege and has a population of about 56,000.
The incident comes a week after attacks in neighbouring France that killed 17 people.
Belgian media has reported that some of the weapons used in the attacks in Paris were bought near the Midi train station in Brussels.
The attacks - on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, a kosher market and police - have heightened security fears in several European countries.
In May last year, four people were killed inside the Jewish museum in Brussels by a Frenchman of Algerian descent.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30840160
Hope all police and innocents go unharmed