Gunmen have attacked churches, a synagogue and a police post in Russia’s North Caucasus region of Dagestan, killing at least 15 police and National Guard officers, several civilians and an Orthodox priest along with six attackers according to authorities.

Moscow

Gunmen have attacked churches, a synagogue, and a police post in Russia’s Dagestan region, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 police and National Guard officers, several civilians, and an Orthodox priest. The attacks occurred in the cities of Mahachkala and Derbent, and involved shooting law enforcement officers at close range.

Among the victims was Father Nikolai Kotelnikov, an Orthodox priest in Derbent, who was killed alongside church guard Mikhail. The attackers also fired at a police car, injuring an officer. Police detained a local official on suspicion that his sons were involved in the attacks; both suspects were killed in the subsequent shootout.

Military vehicles were deployed in Derbent, bringing the shooting to a halt. Meanwhile, individuals barricaded in the Mahachkala church were safely evacuated by police. Recent similar attacks in Russia have been claimed by ISIL, but Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains that threats to Russia originate from Western countries or Ukraine, despite these claims.



Over a dozen killed in synagogue, church attacks in Russia’s Dagestan

A quiet Sunday evening was interrupted by several armed attacks in Russia's Dagestan region. Two Orthodox churches and two synagogues were targeted in the cities of Mahachkala and Derbent. In the regional capital Mahachkala, a traffic police post came under fire too. The attackers shot several law enforcement officers almost point-blank. Among the first victims of the attacks were Father Nikolai Kotelnikov, an Orthodox priest in the church in Derbent. The killers cut his throat, while church guard Mikhail, armed only with a gas pistol, which is a non-lethal weapon used for self-defense, was shot dead on the spot. Later, the attackers fired at a police car as it was headed to the site of the attack, wounding one of the police officers. I went out, just like everyone else standing here. No one is allowed to enter there. We wanted to go and see, but the police wouldn't let us in. Police also detained one of the local officials on suspicion that two of his sons were involved in the attacks. It's believed that both of them were killed in the shootout. After military vehicles were spotted on the streets, the shooting in the center of Derbent stopped. A number of people earlier barricaded in the church in Mahachkala were later safely evacuated by police. There have been two similar attacks in Russia recently that were claimed by ISIL, starting with the Krokus city hall assault back in March, followed by an attack on the pre-trial detention center in Rostov last week. But Vladimir Putin has refused to admit that Russia could be attacked by such groups, despite the claims of responsibility. He says any threats to Russia come from Western countries or Ukraine. The question remains how he can respond to these attacks without acknowledging them publicly. Yulia Shapovalova, Al Jazeera, Moscow.

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