Terror probe after police officer stabbed to death and another injured by knifeman at Brussels train station

Their colleagues opened fire on the attacker and in the ensuing exchange of gunfire, he was shot dead.

The incident happened on a road in the  Schaerbeek area, near to the Bruxelles-Nord station at around 7.15pm local time.

According local media reports, earlier in the day the man went to a police station in the Evere area of Brussels and announced he was going to carry out an attack on officers.

He then went voluntarily to a psychiatric hospital but was later released.

"One of our patrols was attacked by a man armed with a knife,” said Brussels police.

“They then called for reinforcements. A policeman from another patrol used his firearm to neutralize the attacker. "

Belgian anti-terror investigators took over the investigation, the federal prosecutor's office said.

"We took charge of the case because there is suspicion of a terrorist motive, which will be confirmed or disproved by the investigators," spokesman Eric Van Duyse said.

Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo paid tribute to the dead officer.

“Our police officers risk their lives on a daily basis to ensure the safety of our citizens," he said.

"Today's tragedy demonstrates this once again. My thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased officer. 

"My sincere hope is that his hospitalized colleague will recover.”

The country's interior minister Annelies Verlinden tweeted: "What a horrible tragedy. 

"This event breaks my heart. My thoughts go above all to the relatives of the officers and to the whole of the police force."

Between 2016 and 2018 Belgium witnessed several fatal Islamist terror attacks.

The Belgian capital was the scene of deadly ISIS terrorist attacks in March 2016.

Three jihadi's detonated devices in the airport and on the metro system killing and maiming innocents as they waited for flights or travelled to work.

In the morning two suicide bombers armed with explosives crammed into suitcases walked into the departures hall of Zaventem Airport.

A third bomber was prevented from detonating his device by an earlier explosion and fled the scene, leaving his bomb.

Just over an hour later another blast erupted on metro system in the city centre.

In the middle carriage of a three car train at Maalbeek station, near the European Commission headquarters, the bomb went off as it  was pulling out of the station.

The last attack classified as 'terrorist' took place in the city of Liege in May 2018.

A radicalised attacker shot dead two policewomen and a student before being gunned down by officers.