Attack on synagogue was a surprise for Makhachkala Jews

The Jews of Makhachkala have felt no obvious threats; the attack on the synagogue came as a complete surprise to them, said Valery Dibiyaev, the chairman of the Centralized Religious Organization of Jewish Communities of Dagestan.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 23, in Derbent, militants attacked an Orthodox Church and the synagogue. The local synagogue was also attacked in Makhachkala. The attackers left inscriptions on the gate indicating surahs and verses from the Koran. According to the Ministry of Public Health of Dagestan, 20 people perished, and 46 others were wounded.

None of the members of the Makhachkala Jewish community suffered during the attack, Mr Dibiyaev has stated. According to his story, the attack came as a complete surprise to the community.

"I think that this attack is a consequence of someone's desire to destroy the republic," he has emphasized.

Let us remind you that the American Institute for the Study of War has stated that a cell of the "Vilayat Caucasus"*, a division of the "Islamic State" (IS)*, was behind the attacks. Pro-IS* sources released a statement praising the "brothers from the Caucasus" for demonstrating what they are capable of.

*On December 29, 2014, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the organization "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL or IS) as a terrorist international organization and banned its activities in Russia.