Kyrgyz President Condemns Brussels Attacks in Letter to Belgian King

BISHKEK (Sputnik) – The president of the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambayev, condemned the fatal suicide attacks in Brussels in a letter to King Philippe of Belgium, the Kyrgyz leader's press service said Thursday.

At least 31 were confirmed killed and 300 injured in two Brussels Airport suicide attacks and one inside a subway carriage near EU institutions in central Brussels. The acts claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group, outlawed in many countries including Russia, were met with widespread international condemnation and offers of assistance.

"The Kyrgyz Republic strongly condemns this inhuman and appalling act of terrorism and believes in the unacceptability and unjustifiability of acts of terrorism," Atambayev wrote, conveying support to the families and friends of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Temir Sariyev, in a letter of condolences to his Belgian counterpart Charles Michel, noted that "the spread of terrorism is becoming a threat to all countries of the world today."

Brothers Khalid and Ibrahim Bakraoui, as well as Najim Laachraoui, were identified by the Belgian authorities as three suspected suicide bombers. A fourth purported assailant seen in surveillance images together with the Bakraoui brothers is believed to be at large.

Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon said the man placed a third bomb at the Brussels airport and left. The bomb did not go off in the attacks and was detonated by authorities in a controlled explosion.