Terror strikes in Dagestan: Synagogues and churches targeted
A film appeared on Telegram showing the course of the terrorist attack in Russia's Dagestan. The author of the recording is one of the attackers who set fire to a synagogue in Makhachkala on Yermoshkaya.
On Sunday, attackers in Russia opened fire at places of worship in two cities in the southernmost province of Dagestan in Russia, killing at least 15 police officers, an Orthodox priest, and an unknown number of civilians.
The leader of the Republic of Dagestan, Sergey Melikov, said that at least six "militants" also died in attacks on churches, synagogues, and police stations in the cities of Derbent and the regional capital Makhachkala, roughly 120 kilometres apart.
The attacks took place in the Republic of Dagestan in the North Caucasus, a predominantly Muslim region on the Caspian Sea. The upheaval in the area has been further exacerbated by Russia's war in Ukraine, where ethnic minorities have been forced to fight.
A firefight between the terrorists and local security services lasted the entire evening. The region's head, Sergey Melikov, announced in a video published on his Telegram channel that this hour marked the end of the active phase of operational military actions in the cities of Makhachkala and Derbent.
Since Sunday, there have been many scenes from Russia on social media. One of them was uploaded by... the attacker himself. The author is one of the terrorists - Osman. He is the son of Magomed Omarov, head of the administration of the Sergokalinsky district. Osman is said to be behind setting fire to the synagogue in Makhachkala on Yermoshkaya. He published this film in a Telegram group.
Who is behind the attack in Russia?
Videos and photos online showed large flames and thick plumes of smoke rising from the synagogue in Derbent. In contrast, footage shot from a building window in Makhachkala shows unidentified people dressed in black shooting at a police car on the street.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, which come three months after ISIS claimed it carried out an attack on the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, killing over 140 people, which was one of the deadliest acts of terrorism in Russia in years.
