Islamic State (IS) claimed responsability for the targeted attack in in the Crocus City Hall, Krasnogorsk outskirts, Moscow, Russia, "the most violent targeting it in years"

 

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On the evening of  March 22nd, 4 armed men with machine guns fired toward visitors at a cinema in the Crocus City Hall, a shopping center in Moscow, Russia, killing more than 60 people and wounding at least 250 then, a fire started in the building, which has been creating difficulties in determining the accurate number of victims. Moreover, a series of explosions were heard in the building

Later on, the Islamic State ( IS) published on Amaq News Agency the claim of the attack but didn’t specify which province the militants were related to: the IS Khorasan Province (ISKP), due to its recent attacks against Russian targets in Afghanistan; or IS– Caucasus Province[1], due to the location of the attack.

It declared the fighters armed assault with various weapons a large gathering of “Christians” in the Krasnogorsk outskirts, Moscow city, Russia, which led to the killing and wounding of hundreds and caused massive damage and destruction to the place where the attack was perpetrated, affirming they safely from the area.

The next day, on March 23rd, the IS published the above infographic describing the attack and showing some footage of the perpetrators of the attack in the Crocus City Hall, Krasnogorsk outskirts, Moscow, Russia, stating itself it was “the most violent targeting it in years in the heart of Russia.”

On the Amaq News Agency,  the IS stated: “… a coordinated attack was launched by Islamic State fighters on Friday against a large crowd of Christians in the Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of the capital, Moscow… “ which were attending “… a mass party inside a hall located within a large commercial complex in the city.” ( in referring to the cinema in the Crocus City Hall, a shopping center in Moscow).

After a previous surveillance operation of the place, according to IS, the fighters stormed to the building hall with machine guns, a pistol, knives, and incendiary bombs. Three of them shot towards the crowd, while the fourth set on fire the hall using improvised incendiary bombs prepared before.

Moreover, according to the Amaq News Agency source, dozens of civilians were shot head and many others were slaughtered inside the hall and its corridors, resulting in the end of the massive attack that killed and wounded at least 300 people, with also a major fire which destroyed two-thirds of the hall and caused the collapse of large parts.

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[1]  IS-Caucasus Province is an IS wilayah that is active in the North Caucasus region of Russia.