A terrifying attack unfolded at a concert on Friday night (22nd February) close to Moscow, leaving a cloud of fear over the area. Armed with automatic guns and dressed in camouflage, the assailants opened fire on unsuspecting concertgoers resulting in the death of over 130 people and injuring at least 150 others.
Soon after the attack, an image started circulating on social media which attributed the attack to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and claimed, “A security source told Amaq Agency: 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 police before they withdrew to their bases safely.”
However, Russia’s official news media platform RT has dismissed the assertion as false and wrote, “Fake! Rumours ISIS claim responsibility for terrorist attack are unfounded. The widely-shared image of what is alleged to be a statement by the group taking responsibility for the incident uses a news template that ISIS abandoned many years ago.”
On 23rd March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also denounced the deadly assault ranked among the bloodiest attacks on Russian territory in recent memory and is eerily reminiscent of the tragic Beslan school siege in 2004. He conveyed, “We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief.”
The attackers fired automatic guns and threw an incendiary bomb or grenade, setting the place on fire, according to state-run RIA Novosti. Then they allegedly drove off in a white Renault. Several thousand people were inside the performance venue having a good time on a weekend night, according to sources. There was a popular Russian band that was scheduled to play at the hall.
Terrifying videos and pictures began to surface on social media as the assailants stormed the venue with guns and incendiary devices, causing chaos and destruction. According to reports from Russian media networks, the Crocus Concert Hall in Moscow has seating for approximately 9,000 people.