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Police Injured, Suspect Killed in Brussels Raid Linked to Paris Attacks

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    • Police in Belgium are searching for at least one suspect following an anti-terror raid in Brussels that left one suspect dead and four officers injured.

    The incident began between 2:45 and 3 p.m on Rue du Dries, near the Place St. Denis in the Forest district of the city, when Belgian and French police attempted to carry out a joint search.

    The Brussels prosecutor’s office said armed federal police were wearing bulletproof vests when they attempted to enter a building they expected to be empty. Instead, officials say, “one or more people” shot at officers through the door. RTÉ reporter Tony Connelly tweeted that three people opened fire on police, citing the Belgian police union.

    Police immediately cordoned off the area and launched a major operation.

    One suspect barricaded himself into an apartment in the area, while two others reportedly fled across rooftops.

    A second burst of gunfire was reported around 3:45 p.m.

    Around 6 p.m., police stormed the apartment where one suspect was armed with a “Kalashnikov” assault rifle, the Belgian federal prosecutor confirmed. The suspect was “neutralized,” officials said.

    Interior Minister Jan Jambon said four police officers were injured, including one female French officer. Jambon added that one officer had been shot in the ear and two others were still in hospital.

    French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve had earlier confirmed the raid was a joint Franco-Belgian operation.

    The prosecutor’s office said the raid was not targeting Salah Abdeslam and Mohamed Abrini, who are wanted in connection with the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, but was aimed at a “second ring” of suspects, Polito Europe reports.

    The Forest district is just across the river from Molenbeek, home to a number of people involved in the attacks, which left 130 people dead. Anti-terror raids have been carried out throughout Belgium since the attacks.

    (Story Developing)

    Image: @euronews/Twitter

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