A man shouted 'Allahu Akbar' and attacked two Belgian female police officers outside station

Belgian Police officers

The officers were attacked in the city of Charleroi this afternoon by an someone with a a knife or machete.

A man slashed a policewoman's face with a machete and shouted 'Allahu Akbar' before her fellow officer gunned him down in a chilling 'terror' attack.

The attacker reportedly walked up to two policewomen at the entrance of the police station in the Belgian city of Charleroi just before 4pm, pulled a machete from his bag and hacked at the officer.

The body covered on the ground

After slamming the machete into the face of one officer, he then turned to another and began swinging the massive blade at her.

A third female officer raced to the front desk and then blasted the attacker in the chest and leg knocking him to the ground.

The policewoman sustained deep cuts to the face and was rushed to hospital. Her colleague was only slightly injured but the attacker, who has not been named, died later in hospital.

Prime Minister Charles Michel's spokesman said he was "closely monitoring" the situation and will meet tomorrow with security services.

He added that early indications for the motive are "very much towards a terrorist attack".

A police spokesman told a press conference: "It's a sad thing. Our hearts go out to the two cops involved.

"Our thoughts also go out to the officer who had to pull her gun. For her this is not easy."

Police in Charleroi tweeted: "Two police officers injured by machete by someone shouting 'Allahu Akbar'.