On Sunday, June 24, gunmen assaulted a synagogue and churches in Russia’s Caucasus province of Dagestan, killing a priest and six police officers, according to the national counter-terrorism agency and police. The attacks occurred in Dagestan’s main city, Makhachkala, and the coastal city of Derbent.
Russia’s Investigative Committee announced that criminal investigations into “acts of terror” have begun.Dagestan is a predominantly Muslim province of Russia that borders Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The National Antiterrorism Committee in a statement to RIA Novosti news agency stated, “This evening in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala armed attacks were carried out on two Orthodox churches, a synagogue and a police check-point.”
They added, “As a result of the terrorist attacks, according to preliminary information, a priest from the Russian Orthodox Church and police officers were killed.”
Gayana Gariyeva, spokesperson for Dagestan’s interior ministry, told RIA Novosti that six police officers were killed and 12 were wounded in the attacks. Gariyeva informed the agency that a 66-year-old priest was assassinated in Derbent.
Boruch Gorin, the chairman of the public council of Russia’s Federation of Jewish Communities, on Telegram wrote, “The synagogue in Derbent is on fire. It has not been possible to extinguish the fire. Two are killed: a policeman and a security guard.”
He further shared, “The synagogue in Makhachkala has also been set on fire and burnt down. During the attack on the Orthodox church in Derbent, the priest’s throat was cut.”
The leader of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, wrote on Telegram, “This evening in Derbent and Makhachkala unknown (attackers) made attempts to destabilise the situation in society. They were confronted by Dagestani police officers.”
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