The Merksem district of Antwerp was shocked by an attack in the night from Thursday to Friday. The perpetrators threw a firebomb at a house on Rietschoorvelden. The police were able to catch two suspects.
The events took place shortly after midnight. “At 12:15 am we received a report about a loud bang in the Rietschoorvelden in Merksem,” says police spokesperson Wouter Bruyns. ‘Unknown people threw a firebomb at a house. The damage was limited to the front door and the facade. There were no injuries.’
Shortly after the attack, some residents saw a car driving away quickly and noted the license plate. ‘This was passed on to an emergency response team. They were able to stop the car just before the Dutch border. The two occupants, two men aged 18 and 27, were arrested. They qualify for the facts,” says Bruyns.
The judicial laboratory and the Dovo mine clearance service arrived on site afterwards to make the necessary findings. The area has now been reopened.
Previous attacks
The area around Rietschoorvelden was already shocked several times by drug violence in the summer of 2022. The home of the F. family was targeted each time. The brothers Gianni and Giorgi are known in the drug environment, they are considered part of the entourage of Mounir ‘Gino’ EB. The family eventually decided to sell the home and moved.
Last night’s attack was aimed at another house in the street. The police are investigating whether there is a link with the drug environment.
