The death toll has risen to 20 after police officers and several civilians, including an Orthodox priest, were killed in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan on Sunday (June 23), following attacks by armed militants. Governor Sergei Melikov confirmed the fatalities in a video statement early Monday (June 24).
According to a report in Associated Press (AP), the gunmen targeted two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a police post across two cities, according to authorities. The attacks occurred in Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim region with a history of armed insurgency, and were classified as terrorist acts by Russia’s National Anti-Terrorist Committee.
In response to the violence, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were declared days of mourning in the region.
Dagestan’s Interior Ministry detailed that armed assailants fired upon a synagogue and a church in Derbent, a city on the Caspian Sea, resulting in fires at both sites as reported by state media. Simultaneously, reports emerged of an attack on a church and a traffic police post in the capital, Makhachkala.
Counter-terrorist operation
A counter-terrorist operation was swiftly launched, with authorities announcing that five gunmen were “eliminated,” while the governor reported six “bandits” had been “liquidated.” Discrepancies in the numbers of militants involved in the attacks remained unclear at the time of reporting.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, prompting authorities to initiate a criminal investigation for terrorism. Russian state news agency Tass indicated that a Dagestani official had been detained due to alleged involvement of his sons in the incidents.
‘Situation under control’
Meanwhile, in a video statement, Governor Melikov assured the public that law enforcement and local authorities had the situation under control. Melikov pledged to continue the investigation until all “sleeper cells” of militants were exposed. Additionally, the governor suggested, without substantiating evidence, a possible foreign connection to the attacks, referencing Russia’s ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
The incident in Dagestan echoes a tragic precedent; in March, gunmen affiliated with the Islamic State group attacked a concert hall near Moscow, claiming 145 lives. Russian officials then sought to tie the incident to Ukraine, although Kyiv vehemently denied any involvement.