01:18Mourners in Derbent were seen laying flowers at makeshift memorials, including one at the monument symbolising the unity of Christianity, Judaism and Islam on Monday.
"It’s terrible, of course. It’s unacceptable because there have always been three religions here: Christians, Jews, and Muslims. We have always lived in harmony. It’s been like that for centuries, and what happened is... honestly, I don’t understand this kind of thing. It’s very scary," a local said.
A series of deadly attacks on churches, synagogues and police posts rocked Dagestan’s Makhachkala and Derbent on Sunday evening, June 23. At the time of publication, around 20 people were confirmed dead, many of them police officers, and dozens taken to hospital.
The National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) announced on Monday that five militants had been killed following a counter-terror operation.
Chair of the Public Supervisory Commission for Dagestan Shamil Khadulaev stated that a clergyman was killed in the attack in a church in Derbent, while a security guard was shot in a cathedral in Makhachkala.
The Russian Investigative Committee for the Republic of Dagestan opened criminal cases into the attacks as possible 'terrorist acts'.
Presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov ruled out a return to the kind of attacks seen in the 2000s, saying that 'Russia is different now'. He also added that President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to all those who had lost loved ones.
Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov described the incident in his Telegram channel as 'a despicable provocation and an attempt to bring discord between religions'.
Derbent residents lay flowers at monument to religious unity after deadly attacks in Russia's Dagestan
Mourners in Derbent were seen laying flowers at makeshift memorials, including one at the monument symbolising the unity of Christianity, Judaism and Islam on Monday.
"It’s terrible, of course. It’s unacceptable because there have always been three religions here: Christians, Jews, and Muslims. We have always lived in harmony. It’s been like that for centuries, and what happened is... honestly, I don’t understand this kind of thing. It’s very scary," a local said.
A series of deadly attacks on churches, synagogues and police posts rocked Dagestan’s Makhachkala and Derbent on Sunday evening, June 23. At the time of publication, around 20 people were confirmed dead, many of them police officers, and dozens taken to hospital.
The National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) announced on Monday that five militants had been killed following a counter-terror operation.
Chair of the Public Supervisory Commission for Dagestan Shamil Khadulaev stated that a clergyman was killed in the attack in a church in Derbent, while a security guard was shot in a cathedral in Makhachkala.
The Russian Investigative Committee for the Republic of Dagestan opened criminal cases into the attacks as possible 'terrorist acts'.
Presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov ruled out a return to the kind of attacks seen in the 2000s, saying that 'Russia is different now'. He also added that President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to all those who had lost loved ones.
Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov described the incident in his Telegram channel as 'a despicable provocation and an attempt to bring discord between religions'.
Mourners in Derbent were seen laying flowers at makeshift memorials, including one at the monument symbolising the unity of Christianity, Judaism and Islam on Monday.
"It’s terrible, of course. It’s unacceptable because there have always been three religions here: Christians, Jews, and Muslims. We have always lived in harmony. It’s been like that for centuries, and what happened is... honestly, I don’t understand this kind of thing. It’s very scary," a local said.
A series of deadly attacks on churches, synagogues and police posts rocked Dagestan’s Makhachkala and Derbent on Sunday evening, June 23. At the time of publication, around 20 people were confirmed dead, many of them police officers, and dozens taken to hospital.
The National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) announced on Monday that five militants had been killed following a counter-terror operation.
Chair of the Public Supervisory Commission for Dagestan Shamil Khadulaev stated that a clergyman was killed in the attack in a church in Derbent, while a security guard was shot in a cathedral in Makhachkala.
The Russian Investigative Committee for the Republic of Dagestan opened criminal cases into the attacks as possible 'terrorist acts'.
Presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov ruled out a return to the kind of attacks seen in the 2000s, saying that 'Russia is different now'. He also added that President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to all those who had lost loved ones.
Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov described the incident in his Telegram channel as 'a despicable provocation and an attempt to bring discord between religions'.