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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Russia opens terror probe after attacks on synagogues, Orthodox churches; priest and police officers killed |
| 2024-06-24 |
| [FoxNews] Gunmen open fire on synagogues, Orthodox churches in Russia's Dagestan region Gunmen opened fire on two synagogues, two Orthodox churches and a police post in Russia's North Caucasus region of Dagestan on Sunday. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a terrorism investigation in response to the "armed attacks in Derbent and Makhachkala, as a result of which police officers and civilians were killed and injured," according to the agency’s Telegram page. Shamil Khadulaev, chairman of the Public Monitoring Commission of Dagestan, said a 66-year-old priest was found with his throat slashed at an Orthodox church, the state-sponsored TASS news agency reported. At least two police officers were also killed, news agencies quoted the Russian Interior Ministry as saying, according to Reuters. At least six people were wounded. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement, confirming a "combined attack in two cities in Dagestan province, Makhachkala and Derbent." "The synagogue in Derbent was set on fire and burned to the ground. Local guards were killed. The synagogue in Makhachkala was attacked by gunfire, there are no further details," the statement said. "At the same time, churches were attacked in Makhachkala and a priest was murdered in Derbent." "As far as is known, there were no worshipers in the synagogues at the time of the attack and there are no known casualties from among the Jewish community," it added. "The Israeli embassy in Moscow is in contact with the leaders of the Jewish community in the district." The attacks were not immediately attributed to a specific group. They come, however, amid concern about the rise of Islamic militants, specifically the ISIS-K group, in the region. Related: Dagestan: 2024-06-23 Terror Attack in Dagestan; Probably Islamists, Russia to blame Ukraine Dagestan: 2024-06-23 Houthis claim attack on US carrier in Red Sea, another vessel in Arabian Sea Dagestan: 2024-06-21 The second pilgrim from Dagestan dies during the Hajj |
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