- Witnesses reported hearing ‘two bangs’ during the terrifying incident in Brussels
- Two soldiers were injured on Boulevard Emile Jacqmain in the city centre
- Just days ago jihadis called for attacks on a street just yards away
- The area has been flooded with police and cordons are in place
A machete-wielding man has been gunned down after attacking a group of soldiers in Brussels – near a street where ISIS called for vehicle attacks just days ago.
The 30-year-old is in a critical condition after injuring the troops with witnesses reportedly hearing ‘two bangs’ during the incident.
The scene on Boulevard Emile Jacqmain has been flooded with police and cordons are in place, according to pictures from the scene.
Tonight’s incident happened just metres from a street where ISIS jihadis had called for vehicle attacks and police arrested a suspected bomber in a shopping mall.
Police and a soldier are seen watching over the man who attacked troops in Brussels
Emergency services are believed to have attempted to resuscitate the attacker but he died at the scene in Brussels
A chilling post on the Telegram app called for terror fanatics to mow down pedestrians on nearby Rue Neuve – which is considered to be the second most popular shopping street in the city.
On the same street a man wearing a fake suicide belt triggered a bomb alert last year after acting suspiciously near the City 2 Shopping Centre.
A Brussels police spokesman said at the time: ‘The man was arrested, but it turned out that his suicide belt was fake. It contained salt and biscuits.’
After witnessing today’s attack, Ryan MacDonald wrote on Twitter: ‘Sound of gunshot, heavy police presence outside on Boulevard Emile Jacqmain, Brussels.’
Another said: ‘Heard two bangs and loads of sirens in Brussels, anyone know what’s happening?’
A spokeswoman for the Belgian prosecution service said: ‘With the identity that we currently have it is a 30-year-old man who is not known for terrorist activities.’
The country’s prime minister Charles Michel also tweeted: ‘All our support is with our soldiers. Our security services remain on alert. We are following the situation closely.’