With an anti-terror operation, the police ended a series of attacks on churches and synagogues in the predominantly Islamic Russian republic of Dagestan in the North Caucasus after several hours. “The emergency services and security forces reacted quickly, but unfortunately it was not without casualties,” said the mayor of Makhachkala Yusup Umavow on Monday night.
More than 15 police officers and several civilians were killed in the series of attacks. Governor Sergei Melikov announced this in a video message early Monday morning. Two civilians, an Orthodox Christian priest and a security guard, were also killed.
Another 16 people had to be hospitalized. According to Melikov, six attackers were killed, while the responsible investigative committee spoke of five attackers killed. The attackers are said to have used automatic weapons.
On Sunday evening, several attacks took place in parallel in Dagestan. Firstly, in the southern Russian city of Derbent and in the regional capital, Makhachkala, more than 100 kilometers away. Synagogues were attacked in both cities, the Russian Jewish Congress reported. In Derbent, the synagogue was badly damaged by fire. Two Orthodox churches were also attacked. Another target of the attackers was a police station in Makhachkala.
The authorities declared the active phase of the anti-terror operation over during the night. However, it remains unclear whether all of the attackers were caught. Due to the ongoing terrorist threat, the exits from Makhachkala are closed. The security forces in the neighboring Russian republics have also been put on alert.
The governor of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, described the attack on Telegram as an attempt to destabilize the situation in the region. Dagestan, which is predominantly Islamic, is one of the poorest regions in Russia. The Russian republic also borders Chechnya.
The governor of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, described the attack on Telegram on Sunday afternoon as an attempt to destabilize the situation in the region. Dagestan, which is predominantly Islamic, is one of the poorest regions in Russia.
In April, four people were arrested in the Caucasus republic in connection with the deadly attack on the Crocus City Hall in a suburb of Moscow. According to the Russian secret service FSB, they are said to have supplied money and weapons for the attack. More than 140 people were killed in the attack on the hall in March. The jihadist militia Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack.
