Two Swedish tourists have been shot dead in a terrorist attack in Belgium, the country’s Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said.
The two Swedish citizens were killed in the early hours of Wednesday morning in the town of Liège in an attack which also left two police officers injured. Police later killed the suspected attacker, 35-year-old Belgian national Benjamin Herman, who was known to police for gang and drug-related activities. He had been temporarily released from prison on Monday.
According to Belgian media, Herman had shouted “Allahu akbar”, meaning “God is the greatest” in Arabic during the attack, although the motive remains unclear and there is no official confirmation of any religious sentiment being linked to him or the attack.
In an address, Mr Reynders described the attack as “terrorism” and offered his sympathies to the families of the victims. “The souls of the victims will remain in the thoughts of Belgium,” he said.
The premier of Sweden, Stefan Löfven, expressed their sadness at the news of the attack and offered his condolences to the victims’ families. “We are following the situation in Liège carefully and it is tragic that two young Swedes have become victims of the attack and that our thoughts go to their families and friends,” he said.
This latest attack has sent shockwaves through Belgium and the countries of the victims, highlighting once again the importance of international cooperation and vigilance against terrorism. Belgium’s security services have not ruled out the possibility of other suspected assailants being involved in this incident or in other recent attacks.
The incident further reinforces the importance of close cooperation between countries in the fight against terrorism, and the need for Europe to remain unified in the face of such threats. The two victims’ families have been offered counselling by the Belgian and Swedish authorities.