At least two police officers have been killed in an attack on a synagogue, a church and a police post in Russia’s North Caucasus region, according to Russian media.
Several armed men they have opened fire in a coordinated attack against a synagogue and an adjoining Orthodox church in the town of Derbent, in the republic of Dagestan, according to Russian news agencies.
Another attack took place in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan. On this occasion the target was a police station. Russian media reported that at least two police officers and an Orthodox priest died as a consequence of the shootings. Additionally, six people were injured in the attacks.
Videos whose content has not been verified, which were published on the social media platform the synagogue on fire and several human figures firing multiple shots.
Sergei Melikov, governor of Dagestan, a republic located in the Russian region of the North Caucasus, confirmed the attacks in a post on X. “Dagestan police officers stood in the way of the attackers. According to preliminary information, there are several victims among them,” he wrote.
Melikov noted that, at the moment, the identity of those who carried out the attacks. Derbent is home to the ancient jewish community from the North Caucasus region, which is Muslim-majority.
