Islamic terror attacks took place in two cities in the Russian republic of Dagestan on Sunday, June 23, leading to the death of 16 individuals and scores of wounded, including an Orthodox priest, who was beheaded.
Among the targets were an Orthodox church in the town of Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan; a synagogue in the town of Derbent; and a police station in Makhachkala, with the terrorists attacking with semi-automatic weapons. The various places of worship targeted in the attacks went up in flames.
The first media reports indicated that one priest was beheaded and at least 16 wounded, but later updates from Russian state television indicated that there were at least 16 dead, seven of them police officers.
Twenty-five people were also wounded, announced the Telegram channel of the Muftiate of the Republic of Dagestan, according to TASS.
“The victims of the terrorist attacks, monstrous in their brutality, were law enforcement officers, clergy, ordinary citizens. The death toll reached nine people, including seven police officers. Twenty-five people were injured,” the Mufti’s statement said before new updates were issued about the rising death toll.
The Mufti expressed condolences to the families and relatives of the victims.
“We grieve with you and ask the Almighty to grant you patience,” the statement said. On the other hand, the press service of the Interior Ministry in the region said that law enforcers had eliminated four militants in Mahacikala during a security operation.
“According to information at the moment, law enforcement forces have eliminated four militants in Mahacikala,” the statement was quoted by TASS news agency as saying.
Dagestan’s leader Sergei Melikov said the attacks “are an attempt to destabilize the situation” in the republic and urged the population to remain calm. The Dagestan investigative directorate of the investigative committee of Dagestan has opened criminal cases for terrorist attacks in connection with the attacks in the two cities.
In March of this year, a terror attack in Moscow by Islamist terrorists against the Crocus City Hall music venue led to 145 deaths and shook the country.
