Brussels: Over 550 security personnel were deployed across Brussels on Friday to tackle rising violence linked to drug trafficking, according to Belgian broadcaster RTL. Police and military personnel carried out a large-scale control operation in several neighborhoods across Brussels.

According to Anadolu Agency, the operation involved more than 550 officers, of which 70 were military personnel. Officers conducted checks and made arrests to address the insecurity in certain neighborhoods and assert the presence of public authorities. Eight people were detained primarily for possessing narcotics in quantities far exceeding personal consumption.

Interior Minister Bernard Quintin emphasized the operation's significance during a news briefing, stating, "The main message is that the streets and metro stations in Brussels belong to our citizens. So that they can feel safe there, the state is using its power, the different levels of police, but also, for the first time, the army." He urged everyone to take responsibility as he highlighted a national emergency.