The EAJC strongly condemns the terrorist attacks in Derbent and Makhachkala

On the evening of Sunday, June 23, armed individuals attacked an Orthodox church and a synagogue in Derbent. The terrorists opened fire on the buildings with automatic weapons, killing several police officers and security guards. The perpetrators then set the synagogue on fire using Molotov cocktails, causing a major conflagration. A similar attack was carried out in Makhachkala. According to available report, a total of 20 people were killed in the terrorist attacks. Authorities reported that six of the attackers have been neutralized.

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress expresses its condolences to the families of the victims, wishes a speedy recovery to the injured, and strongly condemns the actions of the terrorists. The leaders of EAJC call upon Russian law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. The underlying motives of the perpetrators must be identified. We urge the Russian authorities to take all necessary measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.

"As we have repeatedly emphasized, the strategy of escalating antisemitism in the public information space, particularly on social media and in the press, inevitably leads to severe consequences not only for Jewish communities but also for all ethnic groups of a multinational state. We call on the Russian authorities to conduct an objective investigation into this act of terrorism and to condemn any actions aimed at inciting xenophobia within society," the EAJC statement reads.