Gunman opens fire in Russian church, 5 dead

Moscow, February 18 

Five women were shot dead in an apparent radical Islamist attack on an Orthodox church in the North Caucasus region of Dagestan today.

According to local press reports an unidentified gunman fired at worshippers at an Orthodox church in the town of Kizlyar in the mainly Muslim region.

“An unknown man opened fire with a hunting rifle in Kizlyar, fatally wounding four women,” the regional internal affairs ministry said in a statement. A fifth woman died of her injuries in hospital, health ministry spokeswoman Zalina Mourtazalieva said.

Two Russian police officers were injured in the attack. The attacker was “eliminated” by police fire, the regional internal affairs ministry added.

According to a local official the assailant was a local man in his early twenties, the Interfax news agency reported. The Russian RBK daily quoted an Orthodox priest saying the attacker had opened fire on churchgoers following an afternoon service. Father Pavel told RBK. “He was carrying a rifle and a knife.” — AFP