Armed attack against synagogue and Orthodox church in Russia leaves at least 10 dead and 25 injured

At least 10 people died and another 25 were injured during attacks carried out this Sunday by unknown assailants against two Orthodox churches, a synagogue and a transit point in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala, in the Dagestan region.

According to local authorities, it was an apparent coordinated attack, where a dozen people lost their lives, including seven law enforcement officers, when men armed with automatic weapons opened fire on a synagogue and an Orthodox church in two cities miles away. distance.

The attack on Derbent, a city on the Caspian Sea, It took place around 6 p.m. local time, when several armed men unleashed a volley with automatic weapons.

A second attack occurred about 120 miles away in Makhchkalaalso in the Caspian Sea, Russian officials said.

According to authorities, a shootout between police and suspects was taking place in Makhachkala on Sunday night.

Later, The Police reported that they had annihilated four extremists in Makhachkala, three of whom were identified as the sons and nephew of district head Sergokali, who was also detained.

Images of the Derbent synagogue engulfed in fire and dense columns of smoke were broadcast on Russian public television.

The leader of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, denounced that these attacks “are an attempt to destabilize the situation.” in the republic, and called on the population via Telegram to remain calm.

“What these bastards want most is for panic to spread. The Dagestanis will not give them the pleasure! ”He noted.

For its part, the investigation directorate of the Investigative Committee in Dagestan initiated criminal cases for terrorist attacks in relation to the attacks in both Dagestan cities.

The authorities of Dagestan declared the regime of anti-terrorist operation in the administrative limits of the cities of Makhachkala and Derbent, both on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

The attacks on the churches were carried out on the same day that the Russian Orthodox celebrate Pentecost.

The previous attack on a church in this republic took place last February, when a gunman fired indiscriminately into a crowd of people celebrating the Russian festival of Masletnisa, a Carnival-like holiday that precedes the great Orthodox fast, and claimed four lives.

The attacker was killed by security forces, after which the Islamic State terrorist group assumed responsibility for the event without presenting evidence.

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