Peace seems trapped in a downward spiral and humanity is unable to snap out of it.

In 2016 the world is still counting dead bodies because of someone’s calculated decision to kill. Neutral locations are deliberately made targets to shake the foundations of unity.

This week alone, has drawn three more cities into national mourning.

A few hours ago twin blasts hit Zaventem airport (at about 07:00 GMT on Tuesday) killing 11 people and injuring 100 while another explosion struck Maelbeek metro station near the EU (08:00 GMT) headquarters in Belgium with 20 people reportedly dead and 130 injured.

Prime Minister Charles Michel called the latest attacks “blind, violent and cowardly.”

“We face a tragic moment,” he added. “This is a day of tragedy, a black day… I would like to call on everyone to show calmness and solidarity”.

Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said “All Australians condemn these cowardly terrorist attacks in Brussels. And the Belgian people have our thoughts, our prayers and our resolute solidarity in this battle against terrorism. They are utterly cowardly attacks, attacking innocent people, but we need to be constantly vigilant: vigilance is the key.”

US President Barack Obama called the blasts “outrageous attacks against innocent people.”

In a joint statement the 28 EU leaders said the bombings were an “attack on our open democratic society.”

“The terrorists have struck Belgium but it is Europe that was targeted,” said French President Francois Hollande while Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attacks “barbaric”.

Meanwhile, suicide bombers rock Turkey’s two biggest cities Istanbul and Ankara causing the deaths of two hundred civilians with many more injured.

Istanbul’s busiest shopping district and most visited tourist attraction, Istiklal Avenue, was struck on 19 March killing three US Israelis, one Iranian and injuring over 30 tourists and locals. Only one week prior to the Istiklal strike in Turkey, a terrorist group had taken the lives of 35 civilians in a central Ankara street and more than 125 people were injured. Another suicide bomber had killed 10 German tourists in Istanbul back in January.

Since the Paris attacks in November 2015, the world has been slowly sinking into a state of terror.

In the cities affected, security checks have doubled, many roads have been cordoned off whereas streets and areas that are usually bustling with people look somewhat abandoned.

Soccer matches and concerts are being postponed indefinitely, tourism is plummeting and even though governments refuse to give in to this terror regime, people are in fact limiting their usual activities.

Although a link between the attacks on Paris and yesterday’s assault on Brussels has not been officially confirmed, investigators are looking into four suspects related to the November attacks who appear to have a connection with renowned terrorist Salah Abdeslam who was arrested in Brussels last Friday. Abdeslam was supposed to have taken part in the bomb attacks that hit the Belgian capital on Tuesday, according to a senior Belgian official.

“As with the Paris attacks, this [the execution of the attacks] had many moving parts,” the security official told Voice of America.

“This wasn’t something that was pulled together over the weekend – something hastily arranged to send a terror message about [the arrest] of Abdeslam.”

“Belgium had the highest number of foreign fighters in Syria of any European country, more than twice as many have gone from there as from France, and more than four times as many as from Britain.”

ISIS has in fact claimed responsibility, according to the blog of Amaq Agency, which is affiliated to the terrorist group, pointing out that their ambitions remain intact.

The so-called Islamic State, has recruited more people per capita from Belgium than from any other European country, according to the International Center for the Study of Radicalization in London. An estimated of 11,000 foreign recruits to lauch attacks outside its areas of control as it continues to lose territory in the Middle East.

Europe, North America, North Africa, Asia and Australia have all suffered from terrorist attacks organised or inspired by ISIS killing at least 1,280 people and injuring more than 1,770 since 2014.

The department of foreign affairs and trade is urgently seeking to determine whether any Australians have been affected. Until now no Australians have been reported killed or injured. Australians concerned about family and friends in Brussels are advised to call the Dfat 24-hour consular emergency centre on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 if calling from overseas.