4 gunmen take hostages in Belgium

Four gunmen stormed an apartment in Ghent, Belgium today, coinciding with the hostage taking in Sydney, Australia.

Armed men stormed an apartment building in Ghent, Belgium. Photo: BBC

The BBC reports that four gunmen have stormed an apartment in the city of Ghent and police have cordoned off the area. Unconfirmed reports say the four gunmen have taken a man hostage and police have urged residents to stay indoors for their safety.

According to the Telegraph, it is not yet clear whether the incident in Ghent is related to the hostage taking in Sydney or whether the gunmen are linked to Islamist groups.

Witnesses reported seeing police snipers stationed at surrounding buildings. Photo: BBC

Meanwhile, three hours after the incident, Belgian police said gunmen entered the apartment.

Belgian police spokeswoman Annemie Serlippens said it did not appear to be a terrorist attack. “It does not appear to be politically motivated,” she said.

Ghent police chief Filip Rasschaert said they were treating the incident with caution due to the possibility that hostages were being taken.

Federal authorities are now taking over the case.

By mid-morning on Monday (local time), a large number of police had been deployed to the area where the apartment building is located, to keep people away from the scene.

According to VnExpress