The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ISIL (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the brazen attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, which left at least 60 dead and more than 145 injured.
At least five masked gunmen with automatic weapons stormed a packed concert hall in the city’s western suburbs on Friday night as the audience gathered to watch veteran rock band Picnic, shooting into the crowd and setting off explosives that sparked a massive fire.
Russian investigators said more than 60 people were killed. Health officials said about 145 people were injured and about 60 of them were in critical condition.
ISIL, a hardline group that once sought control of Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channel, saying the militants had escaped. The claim could not be independently verified.
The concert hall, one of the most popular in Moscow, can accommodate about 6,200 people.
The attack, which burned the concert hall and collapsed its roof, was one of the worst in Russia since the Beslan school siege in 2004, which killed more than 330 people, half of them children. The death toll appeared to be rising, according to unconfirmed reports.
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Terrorist act
Prosecutors said several men in combat uniforms entered the concert hall, about 20 km (12 miles) from the Kremlin and next to Moscow’s ring road, and opened fire on those inside.
Up to four attackers armed with assault rifles and helmets appeared, some of them firing at close range at the screaming crowd.
Russian officials said security had been tightened at Moscow’s airports, train stations and metro system. The mayor canceled all mass gatherings, while theaters and museums in the area of more than 21 million people were closed for the weekend. Other Russian regions have also tightened security.
