At least six police officers and a priest were killed in coordinated attacks in two cities in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan. Gunmen opened fire at a synagogue, two churches, and a police post in Makhachkala and Derbent. The attacks left at least a dozen police officers wounded, and it was unclear how the casualties were split between the two cities. In Derbent, gunmen targeted a synagogue and a church, resulting in the death of a police officer and a local priest who had served for 40 years. Videos showed the synagogue in flames, and the local police confirmed that the synagogue and church had been burned down.
In Makhachkala, gunmen attacked a street where a local synagogue was located, but reports indicated that no injuries were reported. The gunmen were seen on video opening fire and forcing people out of their cars in the city. The Russian Investigative Committee opened a terrorism investigation into the attacks in Dagestan. The republic is predominantly Muslim but also has a Jewish population, and tensions have heightened over the years due to ongoing violence. Ethnic and religious tensions in Dagestan escalated further following the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip in October.
The head of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, commented that the attacks appeared to be aimed at destabilizing the public situation in the region. Law enforcement officers managed to kill at least four of the gunmen in the attacks, while some were still at large. Police in Makhachkala blocked entrances to the city to prevent further violence. Two attackers were apprehended by the police, but details about the number of attackers and their identities were not immediately disclosed. The shootings came shortly after a terrorist attack at a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow, which left 145 people dead. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack, while American officials attributed it to ISIS-K.
Dagestan has been experiencing a heightened level of violence for several decades, given its history of ethnic and religious tensions. The attacks in Makhachkala and Derbent exacerbated the existing turmoil in the republic. In October, an angry mob stormed an airport in Makhachkala in search of Jewish passengers on a flight from Israel following the conflict in Gaza. The incident shocked the Jewish community in Russia and drew condemnation from the Israeli government. The recent attacks in Dagestan underscore the ongoing challenges faced by the region due to its diverse population and complex social dynamics.
The violence in Dagestan is part of a broader pattern of instability in the region, with ethnic and religious tensions often fueling conflicts. The attacks on police officers, a priest, and religious institutions in Makhachkala and Derbent mirror the deep-seated divisions that continue to plague the republic. The efforts of law enforcement agencies to apprehend the attackers and investigate the incidents highlight the complex security challenges faced in Dagestan. The aftermath of the attacks will likely require a concerted effort to address underlying issues of extremism and intolerance in the region to prevent further violence and promote peace and stability.
