In a horrifying series of events, unidentified gunmen launched coordinated attacks on churches, synagogues, and a police checkpoint across Makhachkala and Derbent in Dagestan. The assaults claimed the lives of at least eight police officers, including a local priest, and left many injured.
Russia’s Investigative Committee swiftly initiated criminal probes into these acts of terror in the predominantly Muslim region, neighboring Chechnya. Law enforcement successfully neutralized four gunmen in Makhachkala and two in Derbent, marking the end of the active phase of the operation.
The attacks, occurring on Pentecost Sunday, a significant religious day for the Russian Orthodox Church, were condemned widely. The Russian Orthodox Church mourned the brutal killing of Archpriest Nikolai Kotelnikov in Derbent.
As the situation unfolded, synagogues in both cities came under fire, with reports of fires breaking out. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported among the Jewish community in Makhachkala.
Authorities indicated that the attackers may have ties to international terrorist organizations, although no specific group was named. Recent arrests related to terrorist plots in Moscow highlight ongoing security challenges in the region, exacerbated by militants with links to conflicts in Syria and local separatist movements.
Dagestan, scarred by historical conflicts and ongoing tensions, remains a focal point in Russia’s battle against extremism, with authorities working tirelessly to maintain stability amid recurring violence.
