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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
7 die in attack on Church in Grozny
2018-05-20
GROZNY, May 19. /TASS/. The situation in the Chechen capital Grozny remains relatively calm after a deadly attack on the city’s only Orthodox church on Saturday, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov wrote in his Telegram channel.

"Once again, I state that the overall situation in Grozny was not affected. The situation in the city is peaceful, all offices, organizations, shops are open, public transport operates according to schedule, all streets are open for traffic," he wrote.

On Saturday afternoon, a group of four people attempted to break into the Archangel Michael’s Church in Grozny, located on a busy street in the heart of the Chechen capital. It is a popular tourist site surrounded by shopping malls and cafes. A service was under way in the church at the moment of the assault.

The attackers, who carried smoothbore guns, knives, axes and plastic bottles with inflammable liquid on them, were unable to get inside the building. However, as a result of the attack, two police officers and one civilian were killed, two more officers were wounded. Four attackers were killed.

"A police officer, who was on duty in the church, was the first to be killed. However, as a result of his courageous actions, [law-enforcers] were immediately alerted about the attack," Kadyrov said. "A rapid response group arrived to the scene almost instantly and killed those bandits. There were four of them."

The Russian president’s envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District, Oleg Belaventsev, said the situation in Grozny is under control.

"The situation in Grozny is under control of the Chechen and federal authorities," he said. "We will continue our fight against terrorism at home and far away.".
Iran PressTV adds:
Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov, who reportedly lead the operation, said all four of the gunnies were "eliminated".

It is thought they entered the church searching for hostages.Russia's Investigative Committee will examine the incident.

The pro Russian news website, Russkaya Vesna said that ISIS was behind the attack:
The terrorist group IGIL * claimed responsibility for the attack on militants on the church in Grozny, reports Reuters referring to the statement of the group.

On the eve of the four militants penetrated the church of the Archangel Michael in the center of Grozny to capture parishioners. Victims of the attack were two policemen guarding the church, and one parishioner . Two more law enforcers were injured.

The bandits were eliminated during the special operation. Their identities are fixed. As the head of the republic Ramzan Kadyrov said, two of the attackers lived in the village of Geldagan near Grozny, the ringleader of the group was "a native of one of the neighboring regions." According to him, "there is operational information that the militants received the order from one of the Western countries."

Earlier, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill noted the heroism of the policemen who took part in the liquidation of terrorists, expressed condolences to the relatives of the victims and the victims, and also urged all Orthodox residents of the republic to preserve peace and tranquility.

According to the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, the "cynical foray" of the militants was aimed at shaking "a valuable interreligious peace and harmony in the region, sow enmity and fear among its inhabitants."
Posted by:badanov

#1  Great to hear the scumbags were killed; sad to hear innocents lost their lives.
Posted by: Clem   2018-05-20 08:52  

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