Russian media: terrorist attack against several targets in the Dagestan region - 15 killed

Russian media reported last night (Sunday) on a terrorist attack against several targets in the Dagestan region in the North Caucasus - two synagogues, two Orthodox churches, and a police station. According to Russia's news agencies, which quoted the governor of Dagestan, Sergey Malikov, more than 15 policemen were killed in the combined attack in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala.

The Russian government's RT network reported that a priest was killed in the attack. The "Ria" news agency reported that a security guard was also murdered in one of the arenas. The Russian authorities said that this was an attack by an "international terrorist organization", probably an allusion to ISIS, but did not elaborate beyond that.
Besides the dead, another 25 people were injured. Last night, additional exchanges of fire were reported in several of the arenas, and in Derbent, police officers prepared for hours to storm a building in the city where some of the armed men were entrenched. Police forces, as well as armored military vehicles, were recorded in the area in the shadow of these preparations - and after a few hours the authorities announced that they had completed the operation in the city and eliminated two armed men. In Makhachkala, the capital city of the Dagestan region, it was reported that four more militants were killed there. The exits from the city were reportedly blocked, due to fears that more militants would try to escape.
Makhachkala and Derbent both lie on the shores of the Caspian Sea, and Makhachkala is 125 km north of Derbent. The synagogue that was attacked in Derbant was set on fire during the attack. The Israeli Foreign Ministry reported that it burned to the ground.
In addition, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, fire was opened at another synagogue in Makhachkala. The rabbi of the city later told the local media that there were no casualties in the attack there. As far as is known, there were no worshipers in the various synagogues at the time of the attack, and there are no known casualties from among the Jewish community at all of the scenes. "The Israeli embassy in Moscow is in contact with the heads of the Jewish community in the district," the Foreign Ministry said.
In the combined attack, as mentioned, two churches were also attacked - and according to the reports, one of them was set on fire. The murdered priest, 66-year-old Nikolai Kotelnikov, was in the church that was attacked in Derbent. The RT network cited the testimony of a local government official according to which the attackers slit his throat after breaking into the place, but this claim has not yet been confirmed by the local authorities. Kotelnikov reportedly served as a priest in Dagestan for about 40 years, and he left behind a wife, three children and grandchildren.
A Russian Telegram channel named "Mash" initially claimed that around 40 people were being held hostage in another church in Makhachkala, but the Russian authorities later denied this. The Ministry of the Interior in Dagestan said that nearly 20 people closed themselves during the attack inside the church there, in order to protect themselves. "They are not in danger," the office clarified, "there were no hostages." The authorities informed a few hours later that the operation in that church was completed successfully, and that those who were hiding were rescued safely. In the documentation distributed from Makhachkala, many armed policemen are seen standing outside the building, probably the same church, apparently preparing to storm the place.
In Makhachkala there was also a report of shooting at a police station. Hours after the reports of the attacks in Derbent and Makhachkala, it was reported that unknown persons also opened fire on a police vehicle in a village called Sargokala - located between Makhachkala and Derbent. One police officer was injured in this incident. The head of the local district where the village is located, a man named Magomed Omarov, was reportedly taken in for questioning - after it turned out that two of his ten children took part in the terrorist attack and were killed. It is claimed that a third terrorist was his nephew. A local official told "Ria" that that official will be removed from his position.
Earlier, the "Ria" news agency reported that in the area of ​​the synagogue in Derbent, the gunmen opened fire at around 18:00 local time. After the shooting, the attackers fled in a white Volkswagen car. Russia's security forces arrived at the scene and began an investigation. According to the report, "almost at the same time" the attack on the police station in Makhachkala was launched.
In the documentation circulated on social networks, and filmed at one of the scenes in Makhachkala, at least three gunmen are seen opening fire in the middle of a street. Loud gunshots are heard in the background. In another document circulated on social networks, it is claimed that police officers are seen arresting two suspects on the beach in Makhachkala. In the video, you can see a great panic breaking out among the bathers, who run away with their children and the toys they brought to the sea. It is not clear if this incident has anything to do with the terrorist attack.
The attack in Dagestan comes after in recent months Russia announced several operations in which it arrested or killed ISIS terrorist operatives, including those who intended to attack synagogues and Jewish institutions. In March of this year, the Islamist terrorist organization carried out the worst attack that Russia has known in more than 20 years, when its terrorists opened fire in the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Moscow, killing at least 144 people. Last week, terrorists from ISIS took over guards at a prison in the city of Rostov, held them hostage and published videos in which they threatened to kill them, but were finally eliminated. According to Russia, the hostages were released unharmed.
In the city of Derbent, where the synagogue was attacked this evening, there lives an ancient Jewish community, and in the past terrorist attacks have already been carried out against it. In 2013, Rabbi Ovadia Iskov, a Chabad emissary to the city, was shot and seriously wounded in Derbent. About two months later, Russia announced that it had killed five terror suspects, including Sharif Ahmadov, who is suspected of shooting Iskov.
The region of Dagestan lies as mentioned in the North Caucasus, and about 90% of its population is Muslim. After the outbreak of the war in Gaza, there were several attempts to kill Jews and Israelis. Particularly memorable is the incident at the end of October in which crowds of Muslims rioted at the airport in Makhachkala, the capital of the Haval, in an attempt to harm the Israelis who landed there.
In the videos that came from the airport at the time, those Muslim rioters were seen calling "Allahu Akbar", waving Palestinian flags, breaking down the doors in the terminal and throwing stones at the plane. They also stopped and checked vehicles in order to locate Israelis. Nine police officers and 11 rioters were injured in those clashes, two of them seriously. Despite the storm caused by the riots, last December 240 residents of Dagestan were sentenced to short prison terms and monetary fines only.