Gunmen in combat fatigues opened fire and detonated explosives at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall killing at least 115 people and injuring 187 in a brazen attack claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) group.
At least five camouflage-clad gunmen with automatic weapons burst into the packed concert hall in the Russian capital’s western suburbs on Friday night as the audience was gathering to watch the veteran rock band Picnic, shooting into the crowd and setting off explosives that started a massive fire.
At least 115 people have been confirmed killed, Russia’s Investigative Committee said on Saturday, adding that the number of victims was expected to rise further.
At least 187 people including eight children were injured.
Health officials earlier said 60 of the injured were in critical condition.
ISIL, the hardline group that once sought control over Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channel, saying the gunmen had escaped. It was not possible to independently verify the claim.
On Saturday, a spokesperson for Russia’s Investigative Committee said it was too early to say anything about the fate of the attackers, state news agency RIA reported.
The concert hall, one of the most popular in Moscow, can hold some 6,200 people.
Alexei, a music producer, was about to settle into his seat ahead when he said he heard “several machineguns bursts” and “a lot of screams”.
“I realised right away that it was automatic gunfire and understood that most likely it’s the worst: a terrorist attack,” Alexei told the AFP news agency, declining to share his full name.
As people ran towards the emergency exits, “there was a terrible crush” with concertgoers climbing on one another’s heads to get out, he added.
Another witness, speaking to the Reuters news agency, also described the terror and panic inside the venue.
A stampede began. Everyone ran to the escalator,” they said, declining to share their name. “Everyone was screaming; everyone was running.”
The attack, which left the concert hall in flames and its roof in a state of collapse, was one of the worst in Russia since the 2024 Beslan school siege in which more than 330 people, half of them children, were killed. The death toll appeared set to rise, according to unconfirmed reports.
Dorsa Jabbari reporting from Moscow said that while the capital was not under lockdown or a curfew, “a number of events over the weekend here have been cancelled, including concerts”.
Russian officials said security has been tightened at Moscow’s airports, railway stations and on the metro system. The mayor cancelled all mass gatherings, while theatres and museums in the area, home to more than 21 million people, were ordered shut for the weekend. Other Russian regions also tightened security.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Friday’s raid was a “huge tragedy.” President Vladimir Putin was being given continuous updates about the situation, according to his spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Putin also wished a speedy recovery to those injured, state news agency TASS reported on Saturday, citing Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova.
Culled from Aljazeera