Blasts in Brussels airport and metro: 34 victims, dozens “heavily wounded”
At least 14 people killed after two blasts in Zaventem airport, passengers have been evacuated. Later, another blast at the Maelbeek Metro station left other 20 passengers dead. Around 200 people are wounded. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attacks.
BRUSSELS · 22 MARCH 2016 · 09:41 CET
Sorthly after 8:00 local times on Tuesday, 2 blasts were reported in the departures area of the Brussels-Zaventem international airport. Authorities have now confirmed that 14 people have lost their lives and 35 injured are "heavily wounded."
Shots were heard before the explosions, which appear to have struck near the American Airlines and Brussels Airline check in desk.
Read the testimony of a Spanish evangelical church member who was at the airport during the attack.
The airport has been closed down and security measures in other European airports have been put in place.
The Belgian government has confirmed casualties but has given no numbers. The cause of the explosions is unknown.
Video footage shows dozens of passengers leaving the area.
#BREAKING: Two loud explosions at #Zaventem airport in #Brussels pic.twitter.com/JFw9RGLjnh
— Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) 22 de març de 2016
Multiple photos, videos coming out of #Brussels airport explosion; reports of 11 killed, others wounded pic.twitter.com/l6qIA2RyPV
— Miriam Goldman (@Miriam411) 22 de març de 2016
METRO STATION ATTACK
Speaking at a press conference, the Mayor of Brussels, Yvan Mayeur, said that at least 20 people died in the explosion at the metro station, but that it is “too early to say exactly what the number of victims will be”.
He also confirmed that 106 people had been injured in the metro station blast.
Fermeture du métro #STIB
— STIB-MIVB (@STIBMIVB) 22 de març de 2016
Sluiting van alle metrostations #MIVB
All metro stations are closing #Brussels @zpz_polbru
The blasts come four days after the capture in Brussels of Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the jihadist attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015.
Daesh claimed responsibility for the attacks. "Islamic State fighters carried out a series of bombings with explosive belts and devices on Tuesday, targeting an airport and a central metro station in the center of the Belgian capital Brussels," AMAQ agency, a news source close to the jihadist group, said.
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