# Belgium Extends Its Soldiers-in-the-Metro Operation for Another Six Months

> Defence Minister Theo Francken says Operation Urban Shield, which put around 30 soldiers into Brussels stations to back up police against drug related disorder, will run through the spring after incidents fell 16.8 percent.

- Source: Belgium Crown
- Canonical URL: https://belgiumcrown.com/article/belgium-extends-its-soldiers-in-the-metro-operation-for-another-six-months
- Author: Belgium Crown Staff
- Section: Politics
- Published: 2026-09-18T15:08:21.476Z
- Updated: 2026-09-18T15:08:21.476Z
- Tags: Operation Urban Shield, Theo Francken, Bernard Quintin, Brussels, military

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Belgium's Council of Ministers has approved a six month extension of Operation Urban Shield, which has kept soldiers stationed inside Brussels train and metro stations since April to support police dealing with the fallout of drug trafficking. Defence Minister Theo Francken announced the extension on Friday, with the new period set to begin on 21 September.

Around 30 soldiers from the army's land component have been posted at stations across the capital under the operation, working alongside police rather than replacing them. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin pointed to a drop in recorded incidents as evidence the approach was working, noting that metro and station incidents fell 16.8 percent between April and July compared with the same months in 2025, from 1,062 down to 884.

## Part of a wider military presence

Urban Shield sits alongside two other recent deployments. Around 70 soldiers took part in a large scale Full Integrated Police Action alongside police across various Brussels locations in late August, targeting the drug trade violence that has plagued the capital for much of the year. Separately, Operation Green Shield has stationed soldiers in the streets of Brussels, Antwerp and Liege since late March specifically to protect Jewish sites and institutions.

Not everyone is convinced the growing military footprint is the right approach. Criminology professor Bucella has previously argued that leaning on soldiers to secure Brussels streets reflects a broader loss of perspective, a criticism that has resurfaced as the government leans further into military deployments rather than scaling them back.

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Originally published by Belgium Crown. Free to cite with attribution and a link to https://belgiumcrown.com/article/belgium-extends-its-soldiers-in-the-metro-operation-for-another-six-months.