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Russia Dagestan shooting: Five women killed in attack on churchgoers | Russia Dagestan shooting: Five women killed in attack on churchgoers |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Five women have been killed in a shooting at a church in Russia's volatile republic of Dagestan. | Five women have been killed in a shooting at a church in Russia's volatile republic of Dagestan. |
Five others, including a police officer and a national guardsman, were injured, Russian officials said. Two are said to be in a critical condition. | Five others, including a police officer and a national guardsman, were injured, Russian officials said. Two are said to be in a critical condition. |
A man fired at people leaving an evening service in the city of Kizlyar. | A man fired at people leaving an evening service in the city of Kizlyar. |
The attacker was shot and killed at the scene. He was later identified as 22-year-old Khalil Khalilov, a resident of Dagestan. | The attacker was shot and killed at the scene. He was later identified as 22-year-old Khalil Khalilov, a resident of Dagestan. |
The Islamic State (IS) group said it was behind the attack but did not immediately provide any evidence. | The Islamic State (IS) group said it was behind the attack but did not immediately provide any evidence. |
The gunman used a hunting rifle, opening fire on worshippers leaving a service during celebrations for Maslenitsa - a traditional pre-Lent festival, Russian media report. | The gunman used a hunting rifle, opening fire on worshippers leaving a service during celebrations for Maslenitsa - a traditional pre-Lent festival, Russian media report. |
Four women were killed at the scene, and another woman died later in a hospital. | Four women were killed at the scene, and another woman died later in a hospital. |
One of them was an award-winning doctor, Lyudmila Shcherbakova, who had more than 40 years' experience working in Dagestan's hospitals, Tass news agency reports. | |
Russian news outlet RBK quoted an Orthodox Christian priest as saying the attack took place immediately following the afternoon service. | |
"We had finished the mass and were beginning to leave the church. A bearded man ran towards the church shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest) and killed four people," the priest said. | "We had finished the mass and were beginning to leave the church. A bearded man ran towards the church shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest) and killed four people," the priest said. |
"He was carrying a rifle and a knife," he added. | "He was carrying a rifle and a knife," he added. |
IS later said - through its information wing Amaq - that one of its "soldiers" had carried out the attack. | IS later said - through its information wing Amaq - that one of its "soldiers" had carried out the attack. |
However, it provided no evidence to back up its claims. | However, it provided no evidence to back up its claims. |
The Dagestan Muftiate - the administrative body for Sunni Muslims in the region - expressed sorrow over the attack and condemned the gunman as a "Wahhabi... one of those who espouse pseudo-Islam, which has no connection to true Islam". | |
Wahhabism is an ultra-conservative form of Sunni Islam followed by Saudi Arabia's ruling family and religious establishment. | |
IS made the claim in the name of its so-called "Caucasus Province", the last official branch set up by the group in 2015. | IS made the claim in the name of its so-called "Caucasus Province", the last official branch set up by the group in 2015. |
The branch has claimed a number of deadly attacks against security personnel in Dagestan. | The branch has claimed a number of deadly attacks against security personnel in Dagestan. |
Dagestan, located in Russia's North Caucasus, is an ethnically diverse and largely Muslim federal republic. | Dagestan, located in Russia's North Caucasus, is an ethnically diverse and largely Muslim federal republic. |
The Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church called the shooting a "monstrous crime" aimed at sowing discord between Christians and Muslims in Dagestan. |