8 years ago, on 22 March 2016 terrorists carried out two attacks, one at Brussels Airport at Zaventem (Flemish Brabant) and the other at the Maalbeek metro station in Brussels. A total of 35 people (including three terrorist that were involved in carrying out the attacks) died and around 340 people were injured. The five terrorists that carried out the attacks were linked to the jihadist group IS. All of them had 5 of them had returned to Europe after having fought for IS in Syria.
On Friday morning the victims of the attacks were remembered at ceremonies in Brussels and Zaventem. Dignitaries, including the Federal Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal) took part in a remembrance ceremony in Brussels during which the names of those that died were read out and a minute’s silence was held in their honour. Flowers were laid and music played in memory of the victims.
A minute’s silence was also held at the departure lounge at Brussels Airport in Zaventem.
Elsewhere, a remembrance ceremony was held at 9am at the “Flame of Hope” a monument in the Brussels municipality of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek.
Initially there were 32 victims, 16 at the airport and 16 in the metro, and 3 terrorists that lost their lives in the attacks. However, in the years since the attacks a further three names have been added to the list of victims. Their names too were read out at the remembrance ceremonies held earlier today.
