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BBC

A senior British oil executive has been shot dead in a suburb of the Belgian capital Brussels, it has emerged.

Father-of-three Nicholas Mockford, 60, who worked for Exxon Mobil, was attacked as he left a restaurant with his wife nearly two weeks ago.

The killing took on place on October 14 but details have just been revealed because of a news blackout in Belgium, reports the BBC.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said it was providing consular assistance to the family of Mockford.

Police initially thought the killing could have been an attempted car-jacking because witnesses saw the couple walking across the street to their vehicle before the attack.

But Mockford was shot three times, once as he lay on the ground, leading to speculation he could have been deliberately targeted.

One Belgian officer told the BBC the killing was a "very strange case" which had now been passed to federal investigators.

A spokesman for Exxon Mobil said: "We are shocked by the tragic death of one of our employees.

"Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues and we are supporting them as best we can at this very difficult time."