Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Lizzie Dearden

Belgian shopping centre evacuated after robbery by men 'armed with Kalashnikovs' in Chatelineau

A shopping centre in Belgium has been evacuated amid reports of gunfire from armed robbers.

There were no immediate reports of injuries during the incident in Chatelineau on Saturday morning, which is not believed to be terror-related.

Local reports said up to three gunmen attempted stole jewellery from the Cora centre before fleeing, sparking panic among shoppers.

"Shots were fired with a Kalashnikov," mayor Daniel Vanderlick told RTL News, adding that no one was injured.

The local police commissioner Eric Debrabander said "several armed individuals" had attacked the Histoire d'Or jewellery shop.

The area was evacuated and cordoned off by security forces, with part of the shopping centre later reopening.

It came days after a man with a knife held 15 people hostage in a supermarket in the Brussels suburb of Forest.

No one was harmed in the attack, which was reported to be part of a failed robbery attempt on Tuesday.

Belgium has been on high alert since November's Paris attacks, with several Isis militants preparing for the massacres in the country before members of the same terror cell attacked Brussels Airport and a Metro station in March.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.