Asylum seekers shelter in Brussels squat as Belgian asylum system comes under strain

Asylum seekers sleep on a street in central Brussels, Belgium October 28, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman.

With Belgium's asylum system under severe pressure, some 200 asylum-seekers are squatting in a large empty building in the centre of Brussels that was originally being renovated for Ukrainian refugees.

The current residents, mainly Burundi and Afghan nationals, maintain the building with the help from NGOs, which say Belgium is not complying with their legal obligations.