More than 15 police officers and several civilians killed in terrorist attacks against synagogues and churches in Dagestan

The authorities of the Russian North Caucasian Republic of Dagestan The number of police officers killed in the terrorist attacks this Sunday rose today to more than 15, in which several civilians also died, including an Orthodox priest.

"More than 15 police officers were victims of the terrorist attack, defending the peace and tranquility of Dagestan with weapons in their hands," said the governor of the republic, with a majority Muslim population, Sergei Melikov, in a video published on his Telegram channel.

He added that the security forces eliminated six of the terrorists who attacked two Orthodox churches, a synagogue and a police post in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala, the Dagestan capital.

Melikov decreed three days of mourning throughout the republic, until Wednesday inclusive, and promised financial assistance to the families of the victims.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that two synagogues were attacked, one in Derbent and another in Makhachkala, and added that no injuries have been reported among the Jewish community since both buildings were empty at the time of the attack.

The Russian Jewish Congress noted on its website that the Derbent synagogue was attacked approximately 40 minutes before evening prayers. The terrorists opened fire on police and security guards and threw Molotov cocktails; while the attack in Makhachkala was developed with the same modus operandi.

The National Anti-Terrorist Committee (CNA) of Russia today lifted the "anti-terrorist operation regime", which restricts some city rights, in Makhachkala and Derbent.

"In view of the fact that threats to the life and health of citizens have been eliminated, the decision was made to end the anti-terrorist operation," the ANC said in a statement. EFE and Aurora