BY: CHIOMA MADONNA NDUKWU
Gunmen launched coordinated attacks on a synagogue, two Orthodox churches, and a police post in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala, Dagestan, killing at least 20 people, including 15 police officers and an Orthodox priest.
The assaults, which took place on Pentecost Sunday, also left at least 12 others injured. Videos showed smoke and flames rising from the synagogue in Derbent, an ancient city with a significant Jewish community. The Russian Investigative Committee has initiated terror investigations into the attacks. Dagestan’s governor, Sergei Melikov, declared three days of mourning, with flags at half-mast and the cancellation of entertainment events.
Authorities reported that the attackers, identified as members of an international terrorist organization, were “liquidated.” This incident comes after the region had experienced relative calm in recent years, contrasting with the violent conflicts in neighboring Chechnya.
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