Militant gunmen staged a coordinated attack on two synagogues and an Orthodox church in southern Russia’s Dagestan region, resulting in the deaths of six police officers and one priest. The incidents have been labelled as acts of terror by authorities amid an ongoing investigation.
Militant gunmen attacked two synagogues and an Orthodox church across southern Russia’s Dagestan region today, resulting in the deaths of six police officers and one priest. The attackers fired at religious sites and a police station in the predominantly Muslim region bordering Georgia and Azerbaijan, injuring at least 12 people.
In Makhachkala, the regional capital, a synagogue was set on fire. Another synagogue in Derbent, the southernmost city in Russia, was also targeted, along with an Orthodox church. The priest, identified as Father Nikolai, was killed. Some attackers managed to flee, with reports suggesting a white Volkswagen Polo was used for escape.
Dagestan’s governor, Sergei Melikov, and Russia’s Investigative Committee have confirmed they consider the incidents acts of terror. Authorities stated that two of the attackers were killed, but the total number involved and their motivations remain unknown. The region has faced recent Islamist terrorist activities, including a major attack in Moscow earlier this year. Investigation is ongoing.
