Singapore has condemned the terror attacks in Belgium, which Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said were a reminder of the threat of terrorism.

In a condolence letter yesterday to Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, Mr Lee said he was shocked to hear of the bombings, which killed at least 31 people in Brussels.

“Singapore strongly condemns these appalling acts. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. We stand in solidarity with Belgium in the fight against terror,” he wrote.

Mr Lee’s letter was released last night to the media by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), which in an earlier statement yesterday expressed Singapore’s deepest condolences to the families of the victims. MFA added that the Singapore Embassy in Brussels was closely monitoring the situation and contacting registered Singaporeans in the city to ascertain their safety.

“Thus far, there are no reports of Singaporeans affected by the blasts,” it added.

In a Facebook post last night, Mr Lee said the “shocking terrorist attacks” in Brussels were a reminder yet again of “the serious and continuing threat of terrorism”.

“It is not a matter of if, but when, that an attack will take place here. Indeed, today’s attacks in Brussels happened even though the Belgians were on full alert,” he wrote.

Mr Lee also recounted a recent incident in Singapore, where the driver of a double decker bus stopped the bus and asked passengers about a bag left near the entrance. “The tension was palpable as he went round the second deck to try to identify the owner (whom he found). He then explained that we have to be vigilant about bags lying around, because of possible terrorist attacks, and the passengers murmured their assent. So the message is getting through to Singaporeans,” added Mr Lee.

In a Facebook post, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam noted that the Brussels bombing came on the heels of a bombing in a shopping district in Turkey over the weekend that killed five people. “Terrorists are continuing their targeting of innocent people .This is an evil which has to be fought, and defeated,” he wrote.

The MFA advised Singaporeans in Brussels to “stay vigilant, take the necessary precautions, and follow the instructions of the local authorities”. Those who require consular assistance should contact the Singapore Embassy at + 32 2 660 2979 or consvc [at] mfa.sg. They can also contact the 24-hour MFA Duty Office at +65 6379 8800/8855 or mfa_duty_officer [at] mfa.gov.sg.