Violent Assault on Religious Sites in Dagestan Claims Lives of Priest and Security Forces

Several incidents of violence rock Russia's Dagestan region, leaving tragic casualties and wide unrest. According to reports, in the coordinated attacks across Makhachkala and Derbent, two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a traffic police station were bombed.

Later in Makhachkala, an antiterrorist operation was conducted without any delay after militants opened fire at security forces from several different locations. Regional authorities have killed the four assailants. In Derbent, the violence turned out at its worst where reportedly three militants were killed, and they all were related to the family of one of the racial local officials.

That violence included the murder of a priest at the Orthodox church in Derbent, where attackers fatally attacked Father Nikolay Kotelnikov during Sunday evening service on Pentecost. A security guard was also killed in that attack. The synagogue in Derbent was also set ablaze; there are fears that people were trapped inside—but firefighters eventually secured the place.

The attacks also spread to the police, and in both cities, some police were killed. In the shootout in Derbent, the chief of police of Dagestanskiye Ogni was gravely injured.

The authorities were quick to deny the attacks, referring to the attackers as representatives of an international terrorist organization. Regional officials, including the mufti of the local Muslim community, reacted with condemnation of the violence, calling it a vile attempt to inflame sectarian tension. Chechen Republic chief Ramzan Kadyrov called the incidents vicious provocations calculated to inflame religious harmony.

While the confrontations have been reportedly quite fierce and several persons have lost their lives, security operations are thought to be largely concluded in the two towns. He added that "efforts would now be concentrated on stabilising the communities and ensuring safety.".