Belgium investigates new drone sightings over military base

BRUSSELS - Belgium has opened an investigation after two drone sightings over a military base in the country's south-east, Defence Minister Theo Francken said on Oct 29, the second case in the country in under a month.

Mr Francken said in two posts on the X social media that guards at barracks in the city of Marche-en-Famenne had noticed several drones flying over key parts of the military base on Oct 26 and Oct 28, prompting an investigation of the police and intelligence agency ADIV.

“This was not the work of amateurs, but of skilled drone pilots”, he said in his post.

The Belgian Defence Ministry did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.

Nato countries have been on high alert in recent weeks after drone sightings and other air incursions, including at

another Belgian military base

, at airports in Copenhagen, Munich and in the Baltic region.

On Oct 26, Lithuania

closed Vilnius Airport and Belarus border crossings

after several objects, identified as likely helium balloons, entered its airspace.

Earlier in October, the European Commission

proposed four flagship European defence projects

, including a counter-drone system and a plan to fortify the eastern border, as part of a drive to get the continent ready to defend itself by 2030. REUTERS