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Explosions Rock Belgian Capital Brussels, Killing Dozens

HeadlineMar 22, 2016

In the Belgian capital Brussels, explosions have hit the international airport and a city metro station, reportedly killing more than two dozen people and wounding scores. Belgium’s federal prosecutor said the two blasts at the airport were carried out by a suicide bomber. There were also reports of shots fired before the explosions at the airport, which occurred at about 8 a.m. this morning. About an hour later, another explosion hit the Maelbeek metro station. Early reports say 15 people died at the metro station and up to 13 at the airport, with more than 100 more wounded at both locations. The attacks come just four days after authorities in Brussels arrested Salah Abdeslam, a suspect in the November Paris attacks that killed 130 people. He had fled to Brussels after the Paris attacks. After Abdeslam’s arrest in a raid on Friday, the Belgian interior minister had warned the country was on the highest level of alert for a possible revenge attack, telling public radio “stopping one cell can … push others into action.” Prime Minister Charles Michel condemned today’s attacks as “blind, violent and cowardly” and called for “calmness and solidarity.” We’ll have more on the attacks after headlines.

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