The attacks were carried out by Islamic militants who authorities said killed 20 people, mostly police, and attacked Christian and Jewish places of worship in attacks in two cities.
The Russian region of Dagestan, the southwestern corner of the country, has decreed three days of mourningwhich began this Monday, after Several attacks will kill 20 peopleincluding 15 police officers and a priest, authorities have announced.
The attacks were carried out by Islamic militants who authorities say killed 20 peoplemostly police, and attacked Christian and Jewish places of worship in attacks in two cities.
Sunday’s violence in Dagestan’s regional capital Makhachkala and nearby Derbent was the latest that authorities blamed on Islamic extremists in the predominantly Muslim North Caucasus region. It was also deadliest in Russia since Marchwhen gunmen opened fire at a concert in Moscow suburbs, killing more than 140 people.
An affiliate of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan claimed responsibility for the March attack and quickly praised the attack in Dagestansaying that it was carried out by “brothers in the Caucasus who showed that they are still strong.”
A “complex and coordinated” attack
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War argued that the Islamic State group’s North Caucasus branch, Vilayat Kavkazprobably was behind the attackdescribing it as “complex and coordinated.”
The governor of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, blamed members of “sleeping cells” from abroad, but gave no further details. He said in a video statement that the attackers intended to “spread panic and fear” and attempted to link the attack with the Russian invasion of Ukrainebut they also did not provide evidence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had tried to blame Ukraine for the March attack, again without evidence and despite the Islamic State affiliate’s claim of responsibility. kyiv has denied any involvement.
The Investigative Committee, the country’s main state criminal investigation agency, said that Sunday’s five attackers died. Dagestan emergency services said at least 46 people were injured. Of them, at least 13 were police, and Four officers were hospitalized in serious condition.
