Two people were injured by gunfire during a violent confrontation between rival groups in Brussels early Thursday, the latest incident in a surge of gang-related clashes gripping the Belgian capital.
According to the Brussels prosecutor’s office, police were alerted around 02:30 GMT on October 30 after shots were fired at Place de Bethléem in the Saint-Gilles district, not far from Gare du Midi, the central hub for Eurostar services.
Officers arrived to find two victims with gunshot wounds and several spent cartridges at the scene. Two other individuals were arrested nearby. Authorities confirmed that the victims’ injuries were not life-threatening.
When asked whether the shooting was linked to drug trafficking networks, the prosecutor said only that “the exact circumstances behind the incident will be the subject of a full and thorough investigation.”
Brussels has struggled with a steep rise in violence tied to drug gangs in recent years. Officials estimate that over 100 of Europe’s most dangerous criminal networks currently operate in Belgium, making the country a strategic battleground for rival groups.
The city witnessed another high-profile security scare in February when authorities temporarily shut several metro stations while hunting suspects involved in a shooting linked to drug dealers.
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