The city of Brussels is on lock-down after a series of massive explosions at the airport and metro system Tuesday morning. At least 34 people are dead, and hundreds more have been wounded.
Suicide attacker suspected after blasts rock #Brussels https://t.co/92HlNCgkGk @CassVinograd @alastairjam report pic.twitter.com/QRMfSo5xQh
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 22, 2016
#Alerte La Stib confirme 15 morts et 10 blessés graves lors de l'attaque dans le métro https://t.co/Q6YSUN8EIv pic.twitter.com/8bVAAs827S
— Le Soir (@lesoir) March 22, 2016
ISIS, the militant group that calls itself the Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attacks only hours later.
“Islamic State fighters carried out a series of bombings with explosive belts and devices on Tuesday, targeting an airport and a central metro station in the centre of the Belgian capital Brussels,” read a statement from the Amaq Agency, an outlet which shares news about ISIS and is a key part of the groups’ propaganda efforts.
The statement also referenced Belgium’s role in the U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIS and asked asked supporters to use social media users appropriately to “fill our stuff into the Brussels hashtag on Twitter.”
A third bomb found at Brussels Airport was detonated safely around noon on Tuesday.
Airport CEO confirms was 3rd bomb at #BrusselsAirport which did not explode. Police detonated in controlled explosion. #BrusselsAttacks
— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) March 22, 2016
Leaders around the world have expressed their solidarity with those affected by the attacks. Speaking from Havana, Cuba, President Obama said that the United States “will do whatever is necessary to support our friend and ally Belgium in bringing to justice those who are responsible.”
“This is yet another reminder that the world must unite,” he added. “We must be together regardless of nationality or race or faith in fighting against the scourge of terrorism.”
The attacks come after the arrest last week in Brussels of Salah Abdeslam, who is suspected of helping carry out the November 13 attacks in Paris.
Shortly after the attack, the Prime Minister of Belgium warned residents to “stay inside.”
Wij vragen aan de bevolking om op hun bestemming te blijven. Crisiscentrum is bereikbaar op 1771.
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) March 22, 2016
The Deputy Prime Minister advised that people attempting to make contact with individuals in Brussels use messaging apps rather than the phone system, which is overloaded.
IMPORTANT: Brussels mobile networks are getting saturated. Please contact through data messages: Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter. Avoid calls
— Alexander De Croo (@alexanderdecroo) March 22, 2016
Belgian citizens also scrawled messages of support in colored chalk on the streets and offered to help those affected by the attacks with the hashtag #ikwilhelpen.
Les messages spontanes fleurissent sur le pietonnier de bxl #lesoir #attentatbruxelles pic.twitter.com/22u6imppie
— J-F Munster (@jfmunster) March 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/stevedw82/status/712314170516115456
https://twitter.com/danneelsackles/status/712311521737621504
Adrienne Mahsa Varkiani contributed to this report.
This is a breaking news post and will be updated.