Police are still trying to establish the assailant’s identity.

The youngster, who sustained injuries to his eye socket, was able to talk with police for a first time on Tuesday and provided details of his attacker’s appearance.

As a result police were able to pull in a local man for questioning, but were obliged to release him again due to lack of evidence.

The public prosecutor’s spokeswoman Caroline Jonckers was unable to confirm a racist motive for the attack: "At the minute it’s not clear what triggered the attack or what the motive was."

The 17-year-old is now on the mend, though his mother told Gazet van Antwerpen that her son had suffered permanent brain damage.

Flandersnews.be / Expatica