On Friday Armed men burst into the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, killing at least 137 people and wounding 182 in what has been described as the deadliest attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege.
How did it happen ?
Four men armed with Kalashnikov automatic weapons, arrived at the Crocus City Hall at around 7:40 p.m.
The men walked through the concert hall, firing automatic weapons point-blank in bursts at terrified civilians who fell screaming.
A verified video showed people rushing for the exits as repeated gunfire echoed above screams.
Crocus City Hall has seats for 6,200 people. In 2013, Donald Trump attended the “Miss Universe” pageant at the hall.
Who did it ?
Islamic State, a militant group known for terror across the Middle East, claimed responsibility for the attack. On Saturday, they released footage of the attack.
Meanwhile, the United States has intelligence confirming Islamic State’s claim of responsibility for a deadly shooting at a concert near Moscow.
According to U.S. National Security Council spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, Washington shared intelligence with Russia about a planned attack in Moscow earlier this month.
However, Russian officials have doubted assertions by the United States insisting that Islamic State was responsible.
What next ?
Russian President Vladimir Putin while addressing the nation, said that the four attackers were heading towards Ukraine when they were detained, hoping to cross the border.
Putin termed the attack as “international terrorism” and said that he was ready to work with any state which wanted to defeat it. Also, Ukraine has denied any involvement.
In his address, Putin said 11 people were detained, refusing to mention any involvement of the Islamic State.
Why did it happen ?
Evidently, Russia along with the United States and Syrian forces, played a major role in defeating Islamic State in Syria.
Driven out of Syria, the militants scattered across regions and different branches emerged.