Belgium convenes National Security Council due to various drone sightings at airports and military bases
Belgium’s National Security Council will meet on Thursday to discuss several incidents involving drones crossing airspace at airports and military bases.
Belgium’s National Security Council will meet on Thursday to discuss several incidents involving drones crossing airspace at airports and military bases.
Over the past few weeks, drones have been spotted flying over airports and military bases eight times.
In early October, fifteen drones were seen above the military training area in Elsenborn. In the following weeks, drones have been spotted crossing both commercial airports and military installations.
Even last Tuesday, drones were sighted at Brussels Airport, Belgium’s largest airport. Earlier that evening, there were also reports of drones flying over military bases at Kleine-Brogel and Florennes. The airspace around the airport of Liège was also temporarily closed due to a drone sighting.
Closing airports due to drones entering their airspace has serious consequences. According to experts, this has led to millions of euros in economic damage. Additionally, hundreds of travelers got stranded, and unrest among the population increased.
The government is taking these incidents seriously. On Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Bart De Wever decided to convene the National Security Council. Members of the council will meet on Thursday at 10 a.m.
“We will not allow our airports to be disrupted by uncontrolled drone flights. This requires a coordinated and national response,” Minister of the Interior Bernard Quintin said in a response to Belgian news outlets, including VRT NWS.
European airports have been dealing with an increasing number of drone incidents in recent weeks. For example, the Danish and Norwegian capitals, Copenhagen and Oslo, had to close their airports at the end of September due to drones in their airspace. Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, and Romania had to deal with similar circumstances.
According to Ursula von der Leyen, Chairman of the European Commission, the drone sightings are part of a “hybrid war” to sow division in Europe.
Many people think Russia is responsible for the deployment of drones above European airports and military bases. According to VRT NWS, the Russian embassy in Brussels has strongly denied any involvement by Russian security and intelligence agencies.
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