Death toll rises to 19 after attacks on churches in Russia

MOSCOW – At least fifteen police officers and four civilians, including an Orthodox priest, died in the terrorist attacks carried out this Sunday in the Russian North Caucasian republic of Dagestan, the Russian Instruction Committee (CIR) reported today.

“According to preliminary data, 15 law enforcement officers and four civilians died, including an Orthodox priest,” the CIR said in a statement.

The security forces “liquidated five people who committed these crimes. Their identities have been established,” added the Investigative Committee, a judicial body that reports directly to the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

Previously, the head of the Muslim republic, Sergei Melikov, put the number of terrorists killed at six in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala, the Dagestan capital, where the attacks took place.

The terrorists attacked two Orthodox churches, a police post and set fire to a synagogue.

In October last year, a crowd already broke into the Makhachkala airport in search of Israelis and Jews in protest of the conflict between Israel and the armed wing of the Islamist group Hamas, which caused riots and at least 20 injuries.

The National Anti-Terrorist Committee (CNA) of Russia lifted today in Makhachkala and Derbent the anti-terrorist operation regime, which restricts some citizen rights, decreed after the attacks on Sunday

“In view of the fact that threats to the life and health of citizens have been eliminated, the decision was made to end the anti-terrorist operation,” the ANC said in a statement.

Dagestan declared three days of mourning throughout the republic, until Wednesday inclusive, and promised financial assistance to the victims’ families.