The coordinated assaults on Makhachkala and Derbent occurred three months subsequent to a devastating attack on a concert hall near Moscow, where 145 individuals lost their lives. This event, attributed to the Islamic State, marked Russia’s deadliest act of terrorism in years.
Gunmen unleashed a barrage of gunfire targeting a synagogue, an Orthodox church, and a police post across Makhachkala and Derbent, cities in Russia’s North Caucasus region of Dagestan on Sunday. Tragically, an Orthodox priest and at least 15 police officers lost their lives in these coordinated assaults, as confirmed by Sergei Melikov, the governor of Dagestan.
“This is a day of profound sorrow for Dagestan and the entire nation,” expressed Melikov in a video released early Monday on the Telegram messaging app.
These attacks, occurring simultaneously in Makhachkala and Derbent, come just three months following a devastating assault claimed by the Islamic State on a concert hall near Moscow, marking Russia’s deadliest terrorist act in years.
While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the violence in this volatile region, Melikov asserted that authorities understand the perpetrators and their motives, although specifics were withheld.
According to Russian state media, among the attackers were reportedly two sons of a local official in central Dagestan’s Sergokala district, who have since been detained for investigation.
Among the casualties were several civilians, including a venerable Orthodox priest with over four decades of service in Derbent.
Melikov reported that six assailants were neutralized during the incidents. However, conflicting reports emerged, with some sources citing five gunmen killed, underscoring the challenge of independently verifying the situation.
In response to the tragedy, June 24-26 have been declared days of mourning in Dagestan, with flags flown at half-mast and all festivities canceled.
The region has grappled with an Islamist insurgency since the 2000s, stemming from neighboring Chechnya, though recent years had seen a decline in such violence, with authorities claiming victory over the insurgency in 2017.
Reports of gunfire exchanges in Makhachkala’s center prompted authorities to seal off exits from the city, warning of potential fleeing suspects.
Approximately 125 kilometers south in Derbent, assailants targeted a synagogue and a church, both vital to the historic Jewish community and designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. Authorities confirmed the structures ablaze and two attackers deceased.
In the wake of the violence, the head of Russia’s federation of Jewish communities urged restraint against provocations. Meanwhile, Israel’s Foreign Ministry lamented the destruction of the Derbent synagogue, noting gunfire directed at another synagogue in Makhachkala.
Russian authorities, in previous incidents, have attributed similar unrest to militant Muslim factions, echoing President Vladimir Putin’s concerns over external agitation, particularly amid global conflicts like the Gaza war, which sparked violence targeting Jewish passengers at Makhachkala airport in October.
