Deadly Dagestan: Coordinated attacks leave over 20 dead

In the attacks on police stations, churches, and a synagogue in Dagestan in the North Caucasus, more than 15 police officers and several civilians were killed. Six attackers also died.

The coordinated attacks targeted the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala during the Orthodox holiday of Pentecost. It is worth mentioning that Dagestan has previously been a site of Islamist attacks.

Sergey Melikov, the republic's leader, stated that it is known who is behind the attacks without giving details. He also said that several civilians lost their lives, including Father Nikolai, who, he said, had served in Derbent for over 40 years. Melikov announced that a three-day mourning period would begin on Monday.

Since Sunday, numerous scenes from Russia have been appearing on social media. We see, among others, a short video of people hurriedly fleeing the beach. You can also see the police shooting at wanted militants.

Dagestan, one of the poorest parts of Russia, is a predominantly Muslim republic. Between 2007 and 2017, a jihadist organisation called the Caucasus Emirate and later the Islamic Caucasus Emirate carried out attacks in Dagestan and neighbouring Russian republics Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Kabardino-Balkaria.

After the March attack on the town hall headquarters in Crocus near Moscow, authorities blamed Ukraine and the West, even though the Islamic State claimed responsibility.

President Vladimir Putin insisted that “Russia cannot be the target of terrorist attacks by Islamic fundamentalists" because it "demonstrates a unique example of interfaith harmony and inter-religious and inter-ethnic unity".

And yet, three months ago, the Russian internal security service FSB reported that it had foiled an IS plot to attack a synagogue in Moscow.