2 New York siblings were killed in the Brussels bombings

BRUSSELS - Two Americans were killed in Tuesday's suicide bombings in Brussels, a senior US official said on Friday, as US Secretary of State John Kerry met with Belgian leaders and offered condolences and help after the attack.

The official did not offer specifics on where the Americans died, saying only that two had been confirmed killed.

News reports from NBC and CBS have confirmed that the two dead Americans are New York City siblings Sascha and Alexander Pinczowski.

The brother and sister were on the phone with family Tuesday morning at the Brussels airport when an explosion was heard in the background and the line went dead.

Kerry, traveling back to Washington after talks in Moscow, stopped in Belgium to demonstrate solidarity after the attacks, which killed 31 people and injured hundreds of others.

"The United States is praying and grieving with you for the loved ones of those cruelly taken from us, including Americans, and for the many who were injured in these despicable attacks," Kerry said after meeting Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.

"The United States stands firmly with Belgium and with the nations of Europe in the face of this tragedy," he said.

"We will continue to provide any assistance necessary in investigating these heinous acts of terrorism and bringing those responsible to justice," Kerry added.

Michel offered his condolences for the death of the Americans but did not elaborate. "We want to cooperate with you, do our best with you in order to face these very sensitive issues," he said.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Mark Heinrich)