At least 15 police killed in Dagestan attacks
Armed militants have attacked two Orthodox churches, a synagogue and a traffic police post in two cities in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan, killing at least 15 police officers and a priest, the head of the region says.
There were also civilian casualties, Russian news agencies reported.
Russia’s National Anti-Terrorist Committee described the attacks in the predominantly Muslim region as terrorist acts.
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The attackers fled and a search was underway for them, the statement from the ministry said.
Almost simultaneously, reports appeared about an attack on a traffic police post in the capital of the largely Muslim region, Makhachkala.
Dagestan governor Sergei Melikov said six “bandits” were “liquidated”.
The Muftiate of Dagestan, a Muslim administrative body, said 25 people were injured in the attacks.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but some officials in Dagestan blamed Ukraine and NATO.
A Dagestani official was detained over his sons’ involvement in the attacks, Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing law enforcement sources.
In Israel, the Foreign Ministry said the synagogue in Derbent had been burned to the ground and shots had been fired at a second synagogue in Makhachkala.
The statement said it was believed there were no worshippers in the synagogue at the time.
Agencies
