Breaking News:::::::Suicide Attack at Brussels Zaventem airport and Molenbeek Metro Underground Station cause casualties

Two explosions have struck the departures area of Zaventem airport in Brussels in quick succession .
According to BBC News,  up to 13 people were killed and 35 severly injured in the airport explosions.

The airport is being evacuated and has been closed to flights.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.
Belgium has now raised its terror threat to its highest level. Emergency services are clearing the airport completely. Belgium's Het Laatste Nieuws reports that more bombs have been found.

The Belga news agency reports that shots were fired and shouts in Arabic were heard before the two explosions.

Images on social media showed smoke rising from one of the buildings, amid reports of panic as people fled the airport.

Rail transport to the facility has been halted and people have been told not to come to the airport.
All flights have been diverted.

Other reports say at least one of the explosions was close to the American Airlines check-in area but this has not been confirmed.

The Belgian broadcaster RTBF quoted a witness as saying there were people injured or unconscious in the departure area, opposite the Sheraton hotel.

Niels Caignau, a Swissport employee, told Flemish broadcaster VRT: "I was on a break and heard and felt a big explosion - we have from here a view over the departure hall and saw a plume of smoke come out.

Also, unconfirmed reports said there was another explosion at Brussels Metro Underground Stations near European Union Institutions.

According to French media reports, there were two explosions minutes apart just before 8am at Brussels Airport - one in the departures area and one on or near the runway, writes Angelique Chrisafis.

A false ceiling collapsed causing lots of dust and smoke.The departures area had easy access to the public, but the runway area would have been closed to public access and raises questions about how the explosion could have happened there.


Source: BBC and Sky News

Last Updated 09:01am