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Prior to the tragic event at a Moscow music venue on Friday, there were alerts shared with Russia indicating an imminent terrorist attack by extremist groups.
However, it seems that their intelligence agencies were taken by surprise when four armed individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall, which was hosting a concert for 7,000 attendees of the progressive rock band Picnic.
The jihadist group ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for a series of videos and messages that resulted in the deaths of at least 137 people and injuries for over a hundred more.
The four potential perpetrators were taken into custody and brought before a court shortly after a video surfaced of them being apprehended and taken to an intelligence facility while blindfolded.
after…
According to Russian authorities, the car used by the suspects in the shooting at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall to flee the scene…
“Use caution when reading Novosti from Reuters.”
Who are ISIS-K?
The militant group known as ISIS-K, named after the historical name for the region spanning Iran, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan, appeared in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014 and gained notoriety for its extreme acts of violence.
Though membership has decreased since 2018, this organization continues to be one of the most actively involved regional branches of the Islamic State. In recent years, it has faced increased attacks from both US forces and the Taliban, resulting in significant casualties.
However, the United States still perceives the group as a dangerous threat. During a Congressional hearing in March, it was reported that ISIS-K was working on the capability to conduct “external operations” in Europe and Asia.
According to General Michael Kurilla, the leader of US Central Command, they anticipate being capable of targeting American and Western interests beyond Afghanistan in a period of six months, without much or any advance notice.
Why attack Russia?
Terrorist groups inspired by Jihad have frequently been a threat to Russia’s safety. One such group, ISIS-K, committed in 2017 a bombing on the St Petersburg metro, resulting in 15 fatalities.
The assailant began shooting in the lobby of the concert hall.
Located mainly in central Asia, ISIS-K sees Russia as equal to the US in their perceived animosity towards the Muslim religion.
Russia has been accused of backing the Assad government, leading to their involvement in Syria in 2015 and carrying out airstrikes as recently as last year.
According to Michael Kugelman from the Wilson Center in Washington, ISIS-K views Russia as participating in actions that deliberately suppress the rights of Muslims.
He also mentioned that the organization includes members who are Central Asian extremists that hold their own animosity towards Moscow.
What other offenses has the group committed?
In the beginning of this year, the United States caught and confirmed communications that revealed the group was responsible for two bombings in Iran. These bombings resulted in the deaths of around 100 individuals who were in attendance to mourn the anniversary of the assassination of Iranian military officer Qasem Soleimani by American forces.
In September 2022, members of ISIS-K took credit for a fatal bombing at the Russian embassy in Kabul.
The organization was held accountable for a 2021 assault on Kabul’s international airport resulting in the deaths of 13 American soldiers and a minimum of 169 innocent civilians during the tumultuous US withdrawal from the nation.
The Independent is a British newspaper with a long history, with its roots dating back to 1986.
The Independent, a well-established British newspaper, has a lengthy lineage tracing back to 1986.
