Death toll rises to 115 in Moscow concert hall attack
Russian authorities had earlier detained 11 people, state media reported Saturday, for the grisly attack.
MOSCOW: Russian officials say the death toll has risen to 115 in an attack by assailants who burst into a concert hall and sprayed the crowd with gunfire.
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack in a statement. The attack was the deadliest in Russia in years and left the concert hall in flames with a collapsing roof.
The head of Russia’s Federal Security Service told President Vladimir Putin on Saturday that four people directly involved in the attack were among 11 detained, Russian state news agency Tass said.
Russian authorities had earlier detained 11 people, state media reported Saturday, for the grisly attack.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said four of those detained were directly involved in the attack. Russian agencies appeared to suggest the attack was linked to Ukraine even though the Islamic State group claimed responsibility in a statement.
A US intelligence official told The Associated Press that US agencies had confirmed that ISIS was responsible for the attack.
The four suspects were stopped in the Bryansk region of western Russia, “not far from the border with Ukraine,” Russia’s Investigative Committee said. They planned to cross the border into Ukraine and “had contacts” there, state news agency Tass said, citing Russia’s FSB. The head of the FSB briefed President Vladimir Putin on the arrests on Saturday, according to Tass.
The attack came just days after Putin cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. The attack was the deadliest in Russia in years and came as the country’s fight in Ukraine dragged into a third year.
Deadliest attack in Russia in years
Russian authorities had earlier detained 11 people, state media reported Saturday, for the grisly attack.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said four of those detained were directly involved in the attack. Russian agencies appeared to suggest the attack was linked to Ukraine even though the Islamic State group claimed responsibility in a statement.
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