Increase in Casualties from Armed Attack on Concert Hall Near Moscow; ISIS Claims Responsibility

Update: The latest reports from news agencies indicate that the death toll from this armed attack has risen to 93. Russian officials say there is still a possibility of this number increasing. Previously, Russian news agencies reported on Friday, March 23, about an armed attack on a concert hall near Moscow, citing the Federal Security Service of Russia, which stated that at least 60 people were killed and over 100 injured in the incident. Shortly after, Reuters reported that the ISIS group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Crocus concert hall near Moscow on Friday evening. The Russian Foreign Ministry described this incident as a 'bloody terrorist attack,' and Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, called on the international community to condemn 'this horrific crime.' Following this attack at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, severe security measures were intensified at airports, stations, and throughout the capital. John Kirby, the White House spokesperson, stated: 'The images are horrifying and difficult to watch, and it is clear that we also mourn for the victims and sympathize with the survivors of this incident.' The U.S. Embassy in Russia earlier this month warned that 'extremists' had immediate plans for an attack in Moscow, just hours after the Federal Security Service of Russia announced that it had thwarted an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by a group of Sunni Islamist extremists from ISIS. The U.S. and three European powers continue to pressure for accountability regarding Assad on the thirteenth anniversary of the 'Syrian Uprising.' U.S. intelligence agencies, citing international threats, say the country is facing a 'fragile global order.' Swedish officials reported the arrest of four suspects linked to 'terrorist operations.'