A man lost his life in a shooting in Brussels’ Anderlecht district on Friday morning, an incident believed to be tied to ongoing turf wars between rival drug trafficking gangs, according to Belgian prosecutors. Authorities have yet to confirm the victim’s identity.
Anderlecht’s mayor Fabrice Cumps told Belgium’s public broadcaster RTBF that the incident was part of a territorial dispute between criminal groups. The shooting took place in the Peterbos neighbourhood, known as a hotspot for drug trafficking.
This was not an isolated event. On Thursday morning another shooting occurred near the Clémenceau metro station in Anderlecht, where a man was shot in the leg with a handgun. Just a day earlier two individuals armed with automatic rifles fired shots into the air at the same location, causing significant disruptions to public transport services. Additionally, on Tuesday evening two people were injured in a separate shooting in the Saint-Josse district of Brussels.
Commenting on the recent surge in violence, Mayor Cumps stated: ‘One does not need to be a genius to realize that these shootings are connected.’ Belgian prosecutors have confirmed that these incidents are all part of an ongoing territorial conflict between rival drug gangs. Reports from local media suggest that tensions have risen between a gang operating around Peterbos Park and another based in Anderlecht’s Aumale neighbourhood, allegedly due to the theft of 200 kilograms of narcotics.
In response to the escalating violence, the Anderlecht municipal government has assumed control over the six police districts of Brussels. This measure allows officers from other parts of the capital to conduct patrols in the affected areas.
The newly appointed Belgian federal government, which took office on Monday, has declared the fight against drug-related crime a top priority. Plans have been announced to increase police presence and conduct intensified security checks at ports, airports, and railway stations. Authorities will also bolster federal police resources in both Brussels and Antwerp. Additionally, the government has pledged to crack down on organized crime, radicalization, and illegal activities in high-crime neighbourhoods, particularly in areas such as Molenbeek.
With gang violence showing no signs of abating, authorities are under mounting pressure to restore order and security to the Belgian capital.
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