Russia: Attack on Christians and Jews in Dagestan

As reported by CNN on 24 June 2024, gunmen opened fire on places of worship in two cities of Russia's southernmost Dagestan province on 23 June 2024, killing at least 15 police officers and four civilians, including an Orthodox priest (whose throat was cut), in what appeared to be a coordinated attack. Sergey Melikov, head of the Dagestan Republic, said at least six "militants" were also killed following the attacks on churches, synagogues and police posts in the cities of Derbent and the regional capital Makhachkala, which are about 120 kilometers (75 miles) apart.

World Watch Research analyst Rolf Zeegers comments: “The attacks took place in the republic of Dagestan in the North Caucasus, a predominantly Muslim region that has a history of separatist and militant violence. Unrest in the region has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, especially since ethnic minorities have been disproportionately mobilized to fight as part of the Russian invading forces. Even though no organization has claimed responsibility for the Dagestan attacks, it is clear that Christians and Jews were specifically targeted. As in neighboring Chechnya, Dagestan is a region where conservative Islam is a prominent force. Christians (and most especially those with a Muslim background) are under constant pressure - not so much from the regional authorities – but from society in general (including family, in the case of converts to Christianity).”

Rolf Zeegers continues: “This is the second major attack in 2024 in Russia. On 22 March 2024 a radical Islamic group attacked Crocus Concert Hall near Moscow, killing more than 130 people (ACLED, 23 March 2024). Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which has usually been active in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility, but the Russian government did not hesitate to suspect involvement by the West. Both incidents show that Islamic extremists in Russia are capable of launching major, well-coordinated attacks. Pressure on Christians in the region is rising amid fears of possible future attacks.”