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The death toll has risen to 21 following coordinated attacks targeting Christian and Jewish religious locations in the Russian North Caucasus republic of Daghestan. The attacks, which also targeted a police station, occurred on June 23 and left at least 45 people wounded.
The gunmen opened fire at two Orthodox churches, two synagogues, and a police station in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala. Among the victims were 16 police officers, five civilians, including an Orthodox priest, and a police sergeant who succumbed to his wounds in the hospital.
The Russia Investigative Committee has launched criminal probes into what they describe as “acts of terror.” Daghestan, a predominantly Muslim region with a history of armed militancy, is located near Chechnya and has been a hotspot for anti-Jewish protests in recent months.
Although no immediate claim of responsibility was made for the attack, the Russian branch of Islamic State-Khorasan’s Al-Azaim Media praised what they referred to as “brothers from the Caucasus” for their actions. The Institute for the Study of War suggested that the Northern Caucasus branch of Islamic State was likely behind the shootings.
The regional governor declared three days of mourning for the victims and labeled the attacks as an attempt to destabilize the region. Among those detained was the head of a local branch of the ruling United Russia party, whose two sons and one nephew were identified as suspected attackers by Interfax.
Despite accusations by a Russian lawmaker suggesting involvement of Ukrainian and Western intelligence services, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russian society is consolidated against terrorism. The attacks come just months after a deadly terror attack in Moscow, for which Tajik nationals were arrested.
The tragic events in Daghestan have shocked the region, and authorities are working to bring those responsible to justice and prevent further violence.
