Latest news with #SergeiMelikov
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Three police officers killed in gun attack on traffic patrol in Russia's Dagestan
Listen to article At least three police officers have been killed and several others wounded after assailants opened fire on traffic police in the southern Russian republic of Dagestan, officials confirmed on Monday. The attack occurred in the capital city of Makhachkala at approximately 14:20 local time (11:20 GMT) when police attempted to stop a vehicle, according to Dagestan's regional leader, Sergei Melikov. The Interior Ministry stated that gunmen began shooting as officers approached the car. Two attackers, both born in 2000, were shot dead at the scene. Authorities have not disclosed how many others were involved in the ambush. State media reports suggest additional suspects fled in a vehicle, sparking a broader manhunt in the region. Footage shared on Telegram and verified by the Reuters news agency depicted bodies on the road beside a police vehicle, with gunfire ringing out as crowds gathered nearby. Four more police officers and several civilians, including a 17-year-old girl, were taken to hospital. One of the wounded later succumbed to injuries, bringing the total number of fatalities to at least four. A criminal investigation is now underway. Dagestan, a majority-Muslim republic bordering the Caspian Sea, has seen a spate of violent attacks in recent years, many linked to Islamist militant groups. In March 2024, Russian security forces reported killing four alleged Islamic State (ISIL) fighters in the region who were said to be planning an assault on a local Interior Ministry facility. The latest shooting comes just weeks after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed to have killed a man allegedly preparing bomb attacks on the Moscow metro and a Jewish site in the capital region. In June 2024, at least 20 people were killed in a coordinated assault on religious and police sites in Dagestan, one of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent memory. These incidents follow the devastating March 2024 massacre at Moscow's Crocus City Hall, where 133 people were killed. While the ISIL affiliate in Afghanistan, ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province), claimed responsibility, Moscow controversially suggested Ukrainian involvement—an assertion presented without supporting evidence. Despite the territorial defeat of ISIL in Iraq and Syria declared in 2019, offshoots such as ISKP continue to pose a threat, carrying out attacks across Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Dagestan remains one of the regions most vulnerable to this renewed wave of extremism. Russian authorities have vowed to step up security measures as investigations continue into the Makhachkala assault. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the latest attack.
CNN
05-05-2025
- CNN
Three police officers shot dead in Russia's Dagestan
Three police officers were killed and at least four people were injured when gunmen opened fire on police in the southern Russian region of Dagestan on Monday, regional authorities said. Sergei Melikov, the leader of Dagestan, said the shooting occurred as the traffic officers had tried to pull over the car the assailants were driving. The attack occurred around 2 p.m. local time in the regional capital Makhachkala, the interior ministry said. Two of the shooters have been killed, a spokesman for the city administration wrote on Telegram. He identified them by name and said they were both born in 2000. It was not immediately clear how many shooters were involved. Other perpetrators fled in a car, state media reported. Video published on Telegram channels and verified by Reuters showed multiple bodies lying on a city street beside a police vehicle. As passersby stopped to examine them, more gunshots are heard down the street. Two other shooters, two police officers and several injured civilians, including a 17-year-old girl, were brought to hospital, where at least one of them later died, according to state media. Authorities have opened a criminal case into the incident. Dagestan, a mainly Muslim region, has suffered several deadly attacks in recent years. In March, counter-terrorism forces killed four militants affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) who authorities said were plotting to attack a regional branch of the interior ministry.
Al Jazeera
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Gunmen kill three police officers in southern Russia's Dagestan region
Three police officers have been killed and at least four others injured after gunmen opened fire on traffic police in southern Russia's Republic of Dagestan, according to regional authorities. The attack took place on Monday in the capital, Makhachkala, when police attempted to stop a car, Dagestan leader Sergei Melikov said. The shooting began at about 14:20 local time (11:20 GMT), the Interior Ministry confirmed. Two assailants were shot dead at the scene. Local officials identified the men, both born in 2000, but did not say how many others were involved. State media reported that additional attackers fled in a vehicle, prompting a wider manhunt. Footage circulating on Telegram, verified by the Reuters news agency, showed bodies lying on the road beside a police car. Gunshots could be heard in the background as onlookers gathered at the scene. At least two other attackers, alongside injured officers and civilians – including a 17-year-old girl – were taken to hospital. One later died, state media reported. Officials have launched a criminal investigation. Dagestan, a majority-Muslim region bordering the Caspian Sea, has witnessed a number of deadly attacks in recent years. In March, Russian security forces said they killed four alleged ISIL (ISIS) fighters who were planning to attack a local Interior Ministry office. The latest violence in Dagestan follows a separate security operation last week, when Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed to have killed a man suspected of planning bombings on the Moscow metro and a Jewish religious site in the capital region. In June 2024, at least 20 people were killed after armed men attacked a synagogue, churches and police in the Dagestan region. That attack came three months after at least 133 people were killed in a March 2024 attack on a concert in Moscow's Crocus City Hall. While the Afghanistan-based ISIL affiliate in Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed responsibility for the worst attack to hit Russia in years, Moscow at the time claimed without evidence that Ukraine had a played role. Though both Russia and the United States declared the territorial defeat of ISIL (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria by 2019, offshoots of the group – especially ISKP – have re-emerged, posing renewed threats across Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.
