Belgian police have sealed off part of a Brussels suburb amid reports that armed gunmen could be at large.
Police closed down a street in the Forest neighbourhood in a major security operation involving specialist armed units on Thursday.
The operation began after a man of Polish origin ran into a shop and reported a murder in the Fora commune. The policemen didn’t find anything at the specified address, yet out of precaution, the police called in Special Forces to investigate.
“A special operation is being carried out. There may be one or more armed people in the house,” commune representative told Sputnik.
Two armed men are reportedly holed up in an apartment according to the authorities.
Armed police officers were pictured hiding behind buildings and staking out a building rooftop in the neighborhood of the Belgian capital on Thursday.
Police were not immediately available to comment on the incident, which began around lunchtime.
Witnesses said that armed police and snipers are at the scene. Police helicopters are also flying above the area.
A witness told RTBF that officers warned residents to stay in the homes.
Police confirmed that a security perimeter had been established, but did not want to specify the nature of the operation.
A Muslim terrorist in the deadly Paris attacks in November 2015, Salah Abdeslam, hid in Forest and was caught up in a shootout with police in a nearby apartment.
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