The Belgium Football National team has cancelled its training session following the terrorist attacks that rocked the capital city, Brussels.
Photo: The Belgium Football National team during training [Picture courtesy Gettyimages]
Islamic Militants had, earlier in the morning, hit Brussels Airport and Maelbeek metro station with Twin explosion, close to the EU institutions, Belgian media say.
Two blasts tore through the departures area of Zaventem airport shortly after 08:00 local time (07:00 GMT).
An hour later, an explosion hit Maelbeek metro station, close to the EU institutions. The airport and whole transport system have been closed.
The attacks come four days after Salah Abdeslam, the main fugitive in the Paris attacks, was seized in Brussels.
The Belgian government says there have been casualties at the airport but has given no numbers. The cause of the explosions has not been confirmed.
Belgium has now raised its terror threat to its highest level. Prime Minister Charles Michel tweeted: “For the moment, we are asking people to stay where they are.”
The cancelation of the training is out of respect for the victims of the attacks.
The national team are scheduled to play Portugal in a friendly at Brussels’ King Baudouin Stadium on 29 March but the fixture is now in doubt.
Rail transport to the airport has been halted and people have been told not to come.
All flights have been diverted. Eurostar has cancelled all trains to and from Brussels.
Security has been stepped up at Gatwick and Heathrow airports and the UK Foreign Office has advised British nationals to avoid crowded areas in Belgium. UK PM David Cameron will chair a meeting of the Cobra response committee later on Tuesday morning.
Belgium have qualified for Euro 2016 in France and are in Group E with Italy, the Republic of Ireland and Sweden.
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