Gunmen in Russia’s Dagestan region claim the lives of 15 police officers and several civilians.

Moscow, June 24 (Ozi news desk):  In a video statement released early on Monday, Governor Sergei Melikov of Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan reported that more than 15 police officers and several civilians, including an Orthodox priest, were tragically killed by armed militants. The attacks took place in two cities, where the gunmen targeted two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a police post. The National Anti-Terrorist Committee of Russia labeled these acts as terrorist acts, highlighting the gravity of the situation. As a result, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were declared days of mourning in the region to honor the lives lost. Dagestan’s Interior Ministry provided further details, stating that a group of armed men attacked a synagogue and a church in the city of Derbent, causing both religious buildings to catch fire. Simultaneously, reports emerged of an attack on a church and a traffic police post in the capital city of Makhachkala. In response to these heinous acts, authorities initiated a counter-terrorist operation in the region, resulting in the elimination of five gunmen according to the Anti-Terrorist Committee.