Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov condemned the attacks on a synagogue and church in Dagestan, during an exclusive interview on Monday.
"Atrocious attack on people, clergy, places sacred to other faiths. What can I feel about it? I don't know what it has to do with Islam. <...> Where does that even come from? Where is it even being practised, where is it even taught in the religion of Islam?" Nurmagomedov said.
He added that it was 'frustrating' that the incident was 'attributed to a certain sport' only because one of the attackers, Gadzhimurad Kagirov, trained at his martial arts school.
"There are a lot of decent, educated, well-mannered guys training with us. But the fact that he trained for six months, I do not think it should cast a shadow on our school," the ex-champion continued.
Nurmagomedov also said that his family members live close to where the shooting took place in Makhachkala.
"I was in touch with everybody. Everyone was at home, they could hear sounds, gunshots, it didn't last 20 minutes or two hours, it was almost, I can't say for sure, this chaos, I think it was about 12 hours. The city was in such a tense state, and I kept in touch all the time. Of course, it's hard to describe in words," he 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'.
'He trained with us in the gym… but it shouldn't cast a shadow' - UFC champ Nurmagomedov on Dagestan attacker *EXCLUSIVE*
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov condemned the attacks on a synagogue and church in Dagestan, during an exclusive interview on Monday.
"Atrocious attack on people, clergy, places sacred to other faiths. What can I feel about it? I don't know what it has to do with Islam. <...> Where does that even come from? Where is it even being practised, where is it even taught in the religion of Islam?" Nurmagomedov said.
He added that it was 'frustrating' that the incident was 'attributed to a certain sport' only because one of the attackers, Gadzhimurad Kagirov, trained at his martial arts school.
"There are a lot of decent, educated, well-mannered guys training with us. But the fact that he trained for six months, I do not think it should cast a shadow on our school," the ex-champion continued.
Nurmagomedov also said that his family members live close to where the shooting took place in Makhachkala.
"I was in touch with everybody. Everyone was at home, they could hear sounds, gunshots, it didn't last 20 minutes or two hours, it was almost, I can't say for sure, this chaos, I think it was about 12 hours. The city was in such a tense state, and I kept in touch all the time. Of course, it's hard to describe in words," he 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'.
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov condemned the attacks on a synagogue and church in Dagestan, during an exclusive interview on Monday.
"Atrocious attack on people, clergy, places sacred to other faiths. What can I feel about it? I don't know what it has to do with Islam. <...> Where does that even come from? Where is it even being practised, where is it even taught in the religion of Islam?" Nurmagomedov said.
He added that it was 'frustrating' that the incident was 'attributed to a certain sport' only because one of the attackers, Gadzhimurad Kagirov, trained at his martial arts school.
"There are a lot of decent, educated, well-mannered guys training with us. But the fact that he trained for six months, I do not think it should cast a shadow on our school," the ex-champion continued.
Nurmagomedov also said that his family members live close to where the shooting took place in Makhachkala.
"I was in touch with everybody. Everyone was at home, they could hear sounds, gunshots, it didn't last 20 minutes or two hours, it was almost, I can't say for sure, this chaos, I think it was about 12 hours. The city was in such a tense state, and I kept in touch all the time. Of course, it's hard to describe in words," he 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'.