Islamic State claims members escaped after attacking concert hall
The Islamic State have claimed responsibility for the attack on the Crocus City Hall on the outskirts of Moscow.
The full statement posted on its Telegram account reads:
Islamic State fighters attacked a large gathering of Christians in the city of Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of the Russian capital, Moscow, killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place before they withdrew to their bases safely.
Key events
Search continues for attackers
It was reported earlier by Reuters that the fate of the attackers was unclear, as firefighters battled the massive blaze at the concert venue, and emergency services evacuated hundreds of people while parts of the venue’s roof collapsed.
A grainy picture was published by some Russian media reportedly of two of the alleged attackers in a white car.
The search for the attackers reportedly continues but Russian authorities are yet to comment on any developments.
Islamic State said earlier that its fighters attacked on the outskirts of Moscow, “killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place before they withdrew to their bases safely”. The statement gave no further detail.
Why would ISIS be attacking Russia?
The attack by ISIS-K in Russia on Friday is being described as a dramatic escalation, according to Reuters.
Experts have said the group has opposed Russian president Vladimir Putin in recent years.
For some background, Putin changed the course of the Syrian civil war by intervening in 2015, supporting president Bashar al-Assad against the opposition and Islamic State.
Colin Clarke of Soufan Center, a Washington-based research group, said:
ISIS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticizing Putin in its propaganda.
ISIS-K, in full is Islamic State Khorasan.
The group is named after an old term for the region that included parts of Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, and emerged in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014, quickly establishing a reputation for extreme brutality, as per Reuters.
There is also a Caucasus branch of ISIS.
The broader Islamic State group has claimed deadly attacks across the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Europe, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
We will have a more in-depth explainer coming shortly.
Investigations underway at Crocus City Hall
Russia’s investigative committee has published footage of investigators working at the scene after the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall, on the western edge of Moscow.
The unknown people who carried out the terrorist attack in Crocus were armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles, RIA News is reporting.
Here are screenshots of the video released by Russia’s investigative committee on Saturday.
RIA News has shared a full statement from the Russian Investigative Committee regarding updates to the terrorist attack in Crocus:
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Investigators, criminologists and experts from the Investigative Committee of Russia, together with the operational units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB, continue investigative actions at the scene of the incident.
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The bodies of the dead are being examined. It has been previously established that more than 60 people died as a result of the terrorist attack. Unfortunately, the number of victims may increase.
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Material evidence, including weapons and ammunition, is confiscated from the crime scene, all necessary examinations are ordered and carried out, including genetic, ballistic, and fingerprint examinations.
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CCTV footage is being confiscated and studied.
Putin wishes victims ‘speedy recovery’, deputy PM says
Russia’s Tass state news agency is reporting that Putin has wished all those injured in the emergency at Crocus City Hall a speedy recovery and conveyed his gratitude to the doctors.
Russia’s deputy prime minister, Tatiana Golikova reportedly told Tass of Putin’s remarks, which are the first comments the Russian president has made so far about the terror attack.
At least 60 dead, Russia’s Investigative Committee says
Russia’s Investigative Committee said on Saturday that more than 60 people had been killed in the attack on the concert near Moscow, according to Reuters.
Russian state news agency RIA on Saturday quoted a spokesperson for the country’s Investigative Committee as saying it was too early to say anything about the fate of the attackers.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said it was a “bloody terrorist attack” that the entire world should condemn, according to AFP.
Zakharova wrote on Telegram earlier:
The entire world community must condemn this despicable crime!
French president Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack on Friday at a concert hall near Moscow, calling it a “terrorist attack”, according to Reuters.
Macron, in a statement, said he “firmly condemns this terrorist attack, claimed by the Islamic State”.
He said in the statement that France stands in solidarity with the victims of the shooting.
This is Claire Keenan taking over from my colleague Maanvi Singh.
The US has intelligence confirming the Islamic State’s claim taking responsibility for the attack, according to Reuters. The agency cites an unnamed US official:
The official said the United States had warned Russia in recent weeks about the possibility of an attack.
‘We did warn the Russians appropriately,’ said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, without providing any additional details.
At least 40 people were killed and 145 wounded on Friday when camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons on concertgoers near Moscow in one of the deadliest attacks on Russia in decades.
Islamic State, the militant group that once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s Amaq agency said on Telegram.
The death toll made it one of the worst attacks on Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege, when Islamist militants took more than 1,000 people hostage, including hundreds of children.
The death toll has risen to 62, Russia’s Baza news outlet has reported based on preliminary information. The Guardian has not confirmed the number and will be watching for updates from the health ministry.
