Belgium commemorates Brussels attacks 10 years on

Belgium has marked the 10th-anniversary of the 2016 Brussels terror attacks, remembering the victims of the country’s deadliest peacetime attack and reflecting on changes to national security.

The coordinated attacks on 22 March 2016, claimed by the Islamic State group, killed 32 people and injured more than 300. A decade on, the events continue to have a lasting impact across the country.

Commemorations began early on Sunday morning at Brussels Airport in Zaventem, where survivors shared their experiences of the day. Among those attending were Prime Minister Bart De Wever, alongside King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.

Ceremonies then moved to the Maelbeek metro station, where another explosion struck during the morning rush hour, before concluding at a memorial in central Brussels.

The attacks were carried out by the same militant network responsible for the November 2015 Paris attacks, which killed 130 people. Investigators later found that members of the group had regrouped in Brussels before launching the assault, shortly after the arrest of Salah Abdeslam.

In the years since, Belgian authorities say they have strengthened intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism efforts. The country’s threat level remains at “serious”, and the number of state security staff has significantly increased. A shared database tracking extremist suspects is now used across multiple agencies to improve coordination.

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However, some victims and their families say support has been insufficient. Concerns remain over delays in recognising injuries and accessing compensation.

This week, Defence Minister Theo Francken acknowledged a “serious error” after several victims were mistakenly asked to repay compensation due to an administrative mistake.

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