This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bentley chapter.

Less than half a year ago, I found myself writing an article about the massive acts of terror carried out in Paris in the name of the Islamic State (IS). Just four months later, I again must regrettably sit down to write about a similar attack that took place in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday, March 22, 2016.

Knowledge about the attacks is still developing. That being said, here’s what we know so far…

The attacks occurred just days after the March 18 arrest of Salah Abdeslam, a main suspect in the Paris attacks of last November.
Two explosions occurred at Zaventem airport at 7:58 A.M., about nine seconds apart, at opposite ends of the departure area.
Another explosion took place at approximately 9:11 A.M. in the Maelbeek metro station.
Belgium raised its terror alert to the highest level, with many closings occurring for at least a few hours around the city. The airport is still closed and will remain so until at least Sunday, April 3 (UPDATE 4/2), and the country is observing three days of national mourning. (UPDATE 3/24: the terror alert has been lowered to the second-highest level).
11 are thought to have died as a result of the airport explosions and another 20 by that of the metro, while about 300 are said to be injured (UPDATE 4/2: The death toll has risen to 32, with 94 people reportedly still hospitalized).
Two of the suicide bombers have been identified as brothers Khalid and Brahim el-Bakraoui, both Belgian nationals. Khalid was the suicide bomber that targeted Maelbeek, while Brahim was at the airport. Officials from Turkey, Belgium and the Netherlands confirm that Brahim was arrested and deported by Turkey last June.
There were two other attackers at the airport: one is thought to be dead, and the other is thought to be on the run (UPDATE 4/2: The deceased airport attacker was identified as Najim Laachraoui. The third suspect is still on the run and has yet to be identified. There is speculation of another suspect having survived and fled from the Metro bombing, as well).
IS has claimed responsibility for the attacks across multiple of its media channels.
The connections between these attacks and those in Paris last year are starting to become apparent, as links have been found between the attackers (in flat rentals, car rentals, etc.).
So far, police raids across parts of Brussels have uncovered chemicals and other bomb making agents, a nail bomb, an Islamic State flag, and a note penned by Brahim that seemed to suggest desperation and fear of being caught might have accelerated the attacks.
Terror raids in Belgium, France, and Germany in the days since the Brussels attacks have resulted in the arrests of several people. Belgian prosecutors have filed charges against one man, Faycal C, in connection with Tuesday’s attacks (UPDATE 4/2: Faycal was released by Belgian authorities due to lack of sufficient evidence, but another Belgian national— identified only as Y.A.— has been arrested and charged).
Salah Abdeslam reportedly had no prior knowledge of the Brussels bombings and stopped cooperating with authorities following their occurrence. He is no longer resisting extradition to France.
Many are still searching for friends, loved ones, and coworkers who remain missing after Tuesday’s events.

(Based on sources from BBC & NY Times)

The World Reacts

Just as happened after the events in Paris, last night landmarks across the world were lit with the colors of the Belgian flag in a show of solidarity. Global leaders from Obama to Cameron to Merkel expressed their sorrow at the day’s barbaric events. People gathered in the heart of Brussels at Place de la Bourse on Tuesday and Wednesday evening to pay tribute to victims. Campaigns such as #openhouse and #respondwithlight began trending on Twitter, as people opened their homes to people in Brussels seeking shelter or lit candles in remembrance of those killed.

Globally, there have been a variety of other emotions expressed along with sympathy and grief in regards to the attacks. Some question the Belgian authorities’ abilities to deal with the threat of terrorism, while others admit that this is becoming an ever-daunting task for all countries. There have been calls to tighten the EU’s external borders (most notably from French Prime Minister Manuel Valls) and fear expressed about size of the terror network behind the attacks. Many wonder how the el-Bakraoui brothers were able to execute the bombings, as one (Brahim) had previously been arrested and deported by Turkey, whose officials then notified Belgian and Dutch authorities of his suspected links to terrorism in Syria.

Even in Belgium, Katya Adler (Europe editor for BBC) noted that the atmosphere following the blasts in Brussels was markedly different than that after Paris. While the sentiments of anger and fear were still there, “what is missing here is a real absence of shock,” she claimed. Indeed, Belgium has been poised to expect such an attack since the men who carried out the November attacks in Paris were linked back to Brussels. “What we feared has happened,” said Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.

March: A Month of Terror

March was indeed a month full of horrors, not just in Belgium, but also across the world. On March 13, a group linked with al-Qaeda targeted a hotel in Ivory Coast and shot at least 18 people dead. Ankara, Turkey was struck by tragedy that same day when a car bomb was detonated, killing 37 and wounding many more. Less than a week later, on March 19, Istanbul was rocked by a suicide bombing that killed five people, including the bomber, and injured at least 36 more (exact figures seem to vary). Needless to say, we must always remember that media coverage does not treat all parts of the world as equal.* Though the attack on Brussels was indeed egregious, atrocities aimed at innocent civilians are occurring all across the world, regardless of country or continent.

After Brussels- What Lies Ahead?

In the aftermath of these attacks, I believe the most prevalent feeling is one of uncertainty. Is this truly the world that we have come to live in— one where we must live with imminent dread of being killed in the check-in line of an international airport, at a table in a busy restaurant, on a metro ride to work? What can we possibly do to prevent such senseless acts of violence? As someone who had loved ones in Brussels at the time of the attack, I know that I am not alone in feeling that these threats are suddenly much more tangible and personal after Tuesday.

The world is embroiled in its respective conflicts. Much of the Middle East exists in turmoil as a result of civil wars and IS campaigns, Europe must face its largest migrant crisis since World War II, and the U.S. is found in an outrageous and bitter year approaching presidential elections. Yet one thing is certain: we must find a way to address the acts of terror that continue to be carried out across the world by extremist groups like the IS. In a time when there are many things that could be tearing us apart— the antagonizing words of a presidential hopeful, the rush to close borders and cap quotas, the fear of an emerging virus— there is still one thing that should be holding us together: our shared humanity and condemnation of attacks against the innocent.

Four months ago, I asked you to #prayforparis. Today, I ask you to think of Brussels, Istanbul, Ankara, Ivory Coast, Syria, and beyond… and #prayfortheworld.

*Editor’s Note: Case in point, it was difficult to find many high-quality photos of the events transpiring in Turkey and Ivory Coast that were described in this paragraph.

SOURCES

PHOTOS

The Brussels Attacks & Our World After

Knowledge about the attacks is still developing. That being said, here’s what we know so far…

The World Reacts

March: A Month of Terror

After Brussels- What Lies Ahead?

Four months ago, I asked you to #prayforparis. Today, I ask you to think of Brussels, Istanbul, Ankara, Ivory Coast, Syria, and beyond… and #prayfortheworld.

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