Eight soldiers from Belgium’s light brigade who had been participating in Operation Tropical Storm in Gabon were repatriated over the weekend following a nightclub brawl, Het Laatste Nieuws and De Morgen dailies reported on Wednesday. The soldiers were airlifted to Melsbroek on board a C-130.
The incident, in which Gabonese civilians were injured, occurred on the night of Friday to Saturday in a nightclub in Libreville. The fight was reportedly between members of Belgium’s Tielen Parachutists and French military, according to La Dernière Heure daily.
Judging from the amount of damage in the night club, the brawl was a major one. Three investigations have been launched, one each by the Belgian, French and Gabonese authorities. In Belgium, the matter has been reported to the Office of the Public Prosecutor (OPP), OPP spokesman Eric Van der Sypt confirmed. An investigation has been opened for assault and battery.
The Brussels Times
