Following recent violent clashes between the Turkish and Kurdish communities in Heusden-Zolder and Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye reached out to Efe Tapmaz, a 16-year-old Turkish teenager injured during the confrontations. Erdogan condemned the attacks, attributing them to sympathizers of the PKK, a group Türkiye recently listed as a terrorist organization. The incident, which took place amid Kurdish Newroz celebrations, has heightened tensions between the communities, with the Turkish president labeling the attackers as “immoral” and “despicable.”
The altercations have spotlighted the Grey Wolves, a Turkish ultra-nationalist group, some of whose members are believed to have been involved. This series of events underscores the deep-seated animosities of these diasporas in Belgium, as Erdogan assures support and closely follows the developments involving Turkish nationals abroad.
Amidst the clashes, reports emerged of an alleged hostage situation in Brussels, orchestrated by far-right Turkish individuals, potentially from the Grey Wolves. Eyewitness accounts and preliminary analysis suggest that the perpetrators were armed with potentially lethal firearms, including those resembling an M1911-pattern pistol, a Walther PP-pattern pistol, and a Beretta 92 compact pistol. Details regarding the outcome of the hostage situation remain unclear, with no current information available on the hostages’ status.
