Gunmen kill 15 police officers and several civilians in Russia's southern Dagestan region

Recently, there was a tragic incident in Dagestan, a region in southern Russia. Armed gunmen attacked, resulting in the deaths of 15 police officers and several civilians. This attack is part of a broader pattern of violence that has affected the region for years, particularly targeting law enforcement and government officials.

According to the authorities, the shooters opened fire on two synagogues, an Orthodox church, and a police station in two different locations.

In the southern republic of Dagestan, Russia, armed militants killed over 15 police officers and many civilians, including an Orthodox priest, on Sunday, June 24, 2024, according to a video statement released early on Monday by the region's governor, Sergei Melikov.

The gunmen opened fire on two Orthodox churches, a synagogue and a police post in two cities, according to the authorities.

Russia's National Anti-Terrorist Committee described the attacks in the predominantly Muslim region with a history of armed insurgency as terrorist acts.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were declared days of mourning in the region.

Dagestan's Interior Ministry said a group of armed men shot at a synagogue and a church in the city of Derbent, located on the Caspian Sea. Both the church and the synagogue caught fire, according to state media. Almost simultaneously, reports appeared about an attack on a church and a traffic police post in the Dagestan capital, Makhachkala.

Authorities announced a counter-terrorist operation in the region. The Anti-Terrorist Committee said five gunmen were “eliminated.” The governor said six “bandits” had been “liquidated.” The conflicting numbers couldn't be immediately reconciled and it wasn't clear how many militants were involved in the attacks.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks. The authorities launched a criminal investigation on the charge of a terrorist act.

Russian state news agency Tass cited law enforcement sources as saying that a Dagestani official was detained over his sons' involvement in the attacks.

In the video message, Melikov declared that local and law enforcement agencies were in charge of the situation in the area and swore that the strikes will not stop until "all the sleeping cells" of the militants are found.

In an apparent attempt to connect the assaults to what the Kremlin refers to as "the special military operation" in Ukraine, Putin asserted—without offering any supporting evidence—that the attacks may have been planned from abroad.

In March, gunmen opened fire on a crowd at a concert hall in suburban Moscow, killing 145 people. An affiliate of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, but Russian officials also sought to link Ukraine to the attack without providing any evidence. Kyiv has vehemently denied any involvement.