Militants launched attacks on a synagogue, an Orthodox church, and a police post in Russia’s North Caucasus region of Dagestan on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of six policemen and injuries to 12 others, according to the region’s interior ministry.
Two gunmen were shot dead during the incidents, and an Orthodox priest was also reported killed, Russian news agencies stated.
The attacks have triggered street fights in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim region on the Caspian Sea.
An unofficial Telegram channel, Mash, reported that police were preparing to storm a building in Derbent, about 125 kilometers (75 miles) south of Makhachkala, where gunmen were believed to be holed up.
The militants targeted a synagogue and a church in Derbent, a city known for its ancient Jewish community and status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Both the synagogue and the church were set ablaze, according to the Interior Ministry.