On Sunday (23rd June), a group of terrorists carried out attacks on two synagogues, two churches and a police checkpoint in the Muslim-majority Dagestan region of Russia.
The deadly attack, conducted in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala, led to the deaths of over 15 police officers and civilians. One of the victims included an archpriest named Nikolai Kotelnikov, who was brutally killed by the terrorists.
Dagestan Public Monitoring Commission Chairman, Shamil Khadulaev, informed, “According to the information I received, Father Nikolay was killed in the church in Derbent, they slit his throat. He was 66-years-old and very ill.”
BREAKING:
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) June 23, 2024
A terrorist attack on a Jewish synagogue and a church in Russia's Dagestan.
Five police officers were killed, and nine more were injured. pic.twitter.com/NnowMks4pR
According to the Anti-Terrorist Committee, a total of 5 terrorists were neutralised in the counterattack. It must be mentioned that the terrorists had earlier attacked the cops and security forces with guns and Molotov cocktails.
In visuals that have surfaced on social media, it could be seen that a synagogue located in Derbent was set ablaze by the terrorists. One synagogue and a police traffic post also came under attack in Makhachkala.
Israel has condemned the targeting of synagogues in the Muslim-majority region of Dagestan. The nation’s Foreign Ministry stated, “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.”
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 23, 2024
Islamist terror attack in Dagestan, Russia against a synagogue and a church.
At least 5 police officers k*lled and 1 priest beheaded.
The bearded terrorists are all dressed in black and are shouting “Allahu Akbar” pic.twitter.com/m8TsDOymsq
It further added, “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 the Jewish community.”
Russia has declared 3 days of mourning in the region, starting from Monday (23rd June). In the meantime, the Investigative Directorate informed that an investigation was initiated into the terror attack under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
“All the circumstances of the incident and the persons involved in the terrorist attacks are being established, and their actions will be given a legal assessment,” it stated.
