In a tragic incident, gunmen opened fire at concertgoers at Crocus City Hall on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, resulting in more than 60 fatalities and over 145 injuries. The attack occurred just before the Soviet-era rock group “Picnic” was scheduled to perform to a full house at the 6,200-seat venue. Reports indicate that at least 60 of the injured individuals are in critical condition.
The terrorist attack, claimed by the militant group Daesh, marks the deadliest act of terror in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege, where militants had held over 1,000 people hostage.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes of gunfire and stampedes as panic ensued among the concert attendees. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on the situation by security officials, including Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Russian investigators have released images of weapons and ammunition found at the scene, including a Kalashnikov automatic weapon and vests with spare magazines.
In a statement, Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that their fighters targeted the outskirts of Moscow, causing casualties before retreating safely to their bases. However, Moscow has not yet officially attributed responsibility for the incident.
The United States has confirmed Daesh’s claim of responsibility for the shooting, indicating that they had previously warned Russia of the possibility of such an attack. The assault occurred despite recent warnings from the US embassy in Russia about potential extremist threats in Moscow.
The attack on Crocus City Hall has elicited shock and condolences from the international community, including the United Nations Security Council, which condemned the act as a “heinous and cowardly terrorist attack.”
