The Death Toll from Armed Attacks in Dagestan, Russia Reaches 20

Officials in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, announced that the death toll from the armed attack on two Orthodox churches, two synagogues, and a police station in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala has reached 20, including police officers and civilians. Investigators had previously stated that four civilians and 15 police officers were killed in the attacks on June 24. Dagestan police reported that the attackers used automatic weapons for the assaults. Images and videos from Makhachkala showed smoke rising over the city as local residents fled the area. Russian officials say at least 46 people were injured in these attacks. According to Sergey Melikov, the regional governor, among the civilian victims was 66-year-old priest Nikolai Kotlenikov, who had served in the Orthodox Church in Derbent for over 40 years. The Russian Investigative Committee announced that a criminal case titled 'terrorist act' has been opened to investigate these attacks. A three-day public mourning has been declared following the deadly attack on a synagogue and two churches in Dagestan, Russia. Mr. Melikov stated on Monday after visiting the synagogue and church attacked in Derbent, 'Today is a tragic day for Dagestan and the entire country.' He indicated that foreign forces were involved in these attacks, stating, 'This is an attempt to break our national unity.' However, he did not provide details regarding the identity of these foreign forces. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, who has repeatedly accused the West of attempting to incite separatist movements in the Caucasus region, has yet to comment on the matter. Mr. Melikov reported that six attackers were neutralized by security forces, and the operation of the Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee concluded on the morning of June 25. Among those arrested was Magomed Amurov, the head of the central Sergokala district and secretary of the local branch of the United Russia party, whose home was searched. According to the 'United Russia' press service in Dagestan, Mr. Amurov was expelled from the party due to actions that discredited the organization. Interfax reported, citing an anonymous source, that two of Amurov's sons and one of his nephews were among the attackers killed by the police. Dagestan is a region with a large Muslim population that shares borders with Georgia and Azerbaijan. No group has claimed responsibility for this attack yet, but ISIS has carried out several attacks on Russian soil in recent years, the deadliest of which occurred in April of this year, resulting in 145 deaths and dozens of injuries. In that incident, four armed attackers targeted a concert hall in a city near western Moscow, the capital of Russia.