ISIS Claims Responsibility for Attack in Russia, Reportedly Killing 10
- Updated Mar 30, 2016
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a bomb attack that reportedly took the lives of 10 people in Russia’s Dagestan region.
Christian Today reports that two vehicles were blown up by the bomb blasts. It is not yet clear how many were killed or injured in the attack, although Russian officials say one officer was killed and two injured, while an ISIS-affiliated news source said the death toll was as high as 10.
“Two cars were blown up, the type of explosive device has not been established yet," Fatina Ubaidatova, a spokeswoman for the Dagestani police, told Reuters.
The rest of Russia does not have particularly good relations with the Dagestan region, which is next to Chechnya and the border of Georgia. Christian Today notes that in the 1990’s, Moscow led two wars against dissidents in Chechnya, which likely fueled animosity among the locals.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also authorised airstrikes in the Middle East and has armed Syrian President Assad's regime against rebel forces.
Dagestan is a mainly Muslim region of Russia, and it is reported that a number of militants in the area have sworn allegiance to the Islamic State. CBS News notes that Russia regularly sends police to the region.
Photo courtsy: Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: March 30, 2016
