<p>Belgian police launched a "jihadist-related" anti-terrorism operation in the eastern town of Verviers today, with reports saying three people had been killed.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Public broadcaster RTBF reported three deaths and said explosions were heard at the scene, but there was no immediate confirmation.<br /><br />The incident comes as Europe is on high alert after 17 people were killed in the Islamist attacks on the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket in Paris last week.<br /><br />"An operation is under way," a source in the mayor's office told AFP without giving further details.<br /><br />Another official said separately that the incident in Verviers, which is close to the German border some 125 kilometres (70 miles) from Brussels, was "jihadist-related".<br /><br />In May 2014, four people were shot dead in a suspected Islamist attack at the Jewish Museum in Brussels. Frenchman Mehdi Nemmouche, who had previously been in Syria, has been charged with murder.<br /><br />The men targeted in Verviers were under surveillance having returning from Syria a week ago, Belgian media reported. Intelligence indicated they were planning an attack, the reports said.<br /><br />Several reports said a series of other anti-terror raids were under way across Belgium, including in the capital Brussels, where the European Union is headquartered.<br /><br />Residents reported gunfire and blasts in the raid on a former bakery in central Verviers.<br /><br />"I heard a sort of explosion, followed by several gunshots," one local resident told RTBF. "For the moment, I cannot tell you any more because I don't dare go out to see what is happening." Another local resident said "machineguns were firing for about 10 minutes."<br /><br />A third witness said he saw two young men apparently of North African origin "dressed all in black carrying a bag of the same colour," adding that the pair looked terrified.<br /><br />Three Islamic State militants threatened attacks on Belgium in a video broadcast yesterday, the Belga news agency reported.</p>
<p>Belgian police launched a "jihadist-related" anti-terrorism operation in the eastern town of Verviers today, with reports saying three people had been killed.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Public broadcaster RTBF reported three deaths and said explosions were heard at the scene, but there was no immediate confirmation.<br /><br />The incident comes as Europe is on high alert after 17 people were killed in the Islamist attacks on the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket in Paris last week.<br /><br />"An operation is under way," a source in the mayor's office told AFP without giving further details.<br /><br />Another official said separately that the incident in Verviers, which is close to the German border some 125 kilometres (70 miles) from Brussels, was "jihadist-related".<br /><br />In May 2014, four people were shot dead in a suspected Islamist attack at the Jewish Museum in Brussels. Frenchman Mehdi Nemmouche, who had previously been in Syria, has been charged with murder.<br /><br />The men targeted in Verviers were under surveillance having returning from Syria a week ago, Belgian media reported. Intelligence indicated they were planning an attack, the reports said.<br /><br />Several reports said a series of other anti-terror raids were under way across Belgium, including in the capital Brussels, where the European Union is headquartered.<br /><br />Residents reported gunfire and blasts in the raid on a former bakery in central Verviers.<br /><br />"I heard a sort of explosion, followed by several gunshots," one local resident told RTBF. "For the moment, I cannot tell you any more because I don't dare go out to see what is happening." Another local resident said "machineguns were firing for about 10 minutes."<br /><br />A third witness said he saw two young men apparently of North African origin "dressed all in black carrying a bag of the same colour," adding that the pair looked terrified.<br /><br />Three Islamic State militants threatened attacks on Belgium in a video broadcast yesterday, the Belga news agency reported.</p>