Moscow, June 24 (EFE).- At least 15 police officers, several civilians, and an Orthodox priest have been killed in attacks on police posts, churches and a synagogue in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, authorities said on Monday.
Police killed six gunmen, who attacked two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a police post in the cities of Derbent and the Dagestan capital, Makhachkala on Sunday, said Sergei Melikov, the governor of the Muslim-dominated republic.
“More than 15 police officers were victims of the terrorist attack, defending the peace and tranquility of Dagestan with weapons in their hands,” said Melikov in a video published on his Telegram channel.
Melikov announced three days of mourning throughout the republic and promised financial assistance to the families of the victims.
Images of the Derbent synagogue engulfed in fire and dense columns of smoke were broadcast on Russian public television.
Melikov earlier denounced the attacks as an attempt to destabilize the situation in the republic and urged local people via Telegram to remain calm.
The directorate of the Investigative Committee in Dagestan has initiated criminal cases in both Dagestan cities.
Dagestan, a hilly province in the Caucasus mountain range, is the most ethnically and linguistically diverse area of Russia.
It is home to at least 40 distinct ethnic groups and has a population of 2.5 million.
Sunni Muslims make up the majority of the Dagestan population. EFE
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