The horrific terrorist attack at the Crocus City Concert Hall located on the outskirts of Moscow, the capital of Russia, shocked the entire country. Here the gunmen dressed like soldiers started firing indiscriminately with automatic weapons. Spectator Index reported that at least 80 people died in this attack, while about 150 people were injured. The worst terrorist attack on Russian soil in the last few decades brought back memories of the 2004 Beslan school attack.
According to US intelligence, the Islamic State, and specifically its Afghan branch, known as the Khorasan Module or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the attack in a message issued through its Amaq agency on Telegram. This attack not only demonstrates the brutal capabilities of ISIS-K, but also escalates an already tense geopolitical scenario. Especially in the context of Russia’s strained relations with the West after the Ukraine invasion of 2022, the situation becomes even more serious.
Why did ISIS attack?
The attack marks a significant increase in ISIS-K’s operations, underscoring its hostility toward Russia and President Vladimir Putin. One reason for ISIS-K targeting Russia may be related to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military intervention in the Middle East, especially Syria.
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Colin Clark of the Washington-based research group Soufan Center says, ‘ISIS-K has been focused on Russia for the last two years and often criticizes Putin in its propaganda.’ Michael Kugelman of the Washington-based Wilson Center said that ISIS-K ‘considers Russia to be involved in regular atrocities against Muslims.’ He said the group also counts as members several Central Asian militants who have their own grievances against Moscow.
Let us tell you that attackers armed with automatic weapons opened indiscriminate fire on people at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow on Friday. The mall falls in the Moscow region just outside the city limits, where the attack took place around 8 pm local time. The attackers targeted the people attending the music festival, causing chaos in the entire area.
In the video of the incident, bodies were seen scattered all around. They also allegedly threw hand grenades to set the building on fire. The media quoted Russia’s Investigative Committee (ICR) as saying that the death toll is likely to increase.
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Tag: ISIS, Russia
first published : March 23, 2024, 11:21 IST
