ISIS has took responsibility for a deadly attack at a well-known concert place near Moscow last Friday, claiming at least 40 lives and leaving over a hundred injured. The assalents, armed with guns and fire-starting devices, caused chaos at the venue.
The claim of responsibility was made through a brief statement by the ISIS-linked Amaq news agency on Telegram. No evidence was provided by the group to back up their claim.
Videos from the attack scene at Crocus City Hall, a venue that includes a music hall and shopping center, revealed the building engulfed in flames with thick smoke rising. Russian state media reported that the perpetrators fired automatic weapons and launched a grenade or incendiary bomb, igniting the blaze, before reportedly escaping in a white Renault vehicle.
The roof of the concert venue has partially collapsed, according to reports by Russia 24.
The incident occurred right before the music group Picnic was due to perform. The band’s manager confirmed to state media that the group was unharmed.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office stated, “Some unidentified persons in camouflage entered the Crocus City Hall and started shooting before the concert could kick off,” as per TASS reports.
Panic-stricken footage showed the crowd seeking cover, crouching, and screaming as gunshots resounded through the venue.
CNN geolocated footage showing an armed person setting fire within the venue. The suspect is seen carrying an object and then, a bright flare from a flame appears as they move off-camera.
Andrey Vorobyov, the regional governor, stated that efforts were in full swing to rescue people, marking this as the most lethal terror attack in Moscow for years. SWAT teams were dispatched, and over 70 ambulance crews and doctors responded to the scene.
The Russian Health Ministry announced to TASS that 115 individuals, including five children, have been hospitalized, with sixty in severe condition.
Alexey Shaposhnikov, Moscow City Duma Chairman, urged the citizens of Moscow to donate blood, emphasizing the urgency for many victims.
He provided a list of blood donation centers ready to accept donors over the weekend.
Around 100 individuals were evacuated by firefighters, with ongoing efforts to rescue those stranded on the roof, as per the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia.
Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, referred to the incident as a “horrible tragedy” and shared his condolences, ensuring all necessary support for the victims.
Sobyanin announced the cancellation of all public events in Moscow for the weekend on Telegram.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been kept informed about the situation and the response measures being taken, the Kremlin stated.
The US embassy in Russia had previously warned of potential terror threats in Moscow, which President Putin dismissed as provocative.
Following the attack, the US embassy cautioned American citizens to refrain from traveling to Russia.
Ukraine, currently at war with Russia, denied any role in the incident. Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian presidential adviser, stated that Ukraine does not engage in terrorism and predicted Russia might use the attack to escalate military actions in Ukraine.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and his spokesperson conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families and the Russian people, wishing a quick recovery for the injured.
