Attack in Moscow leaves over 200 casualties.

As of the morning of March 23 (Vietnam time), the death toll from the attack on the Crocus City Hall shopping center in the Moscow region of Russia has risen to over 60, with 145 people hospitalized. Russia called it a "terrorist attack" and urged the international community to condemn the attack.

The scene of the bloody attack at Crocus City Hall shopping mall. Photo: TASS

According to the Russian news agency TASS, the attack occurred on the evening of March 22 (local time), just before the start of a concert by the famous Russian rock band Piknik. A group of people broke into the concert hall and opened fire on the crowd, killing approximately 40 people and injuring around 145, nine of whom are in critical condition.

Photo: bne IntelliNews

Initial reports indicate the attackers were wearing camouflage. The incident is rated as highly complex. The death toll could rise as many victims remain unconfirmed while all forces are focused on rescue efforts.

City authorities have announced the cancellation of all large gatherings this weekend. Russian authorities have also launched an investigation into the incident.

The site of the attack has a capacity of 6,000 people. State news agencies reported that as many as 70 ambulance teams were dispatched to the scene.

According to TASS, the Moscow region's Ministry of Emergency Situations dispatched two helicopters and 320 firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

Photo: TASS

On Telegram, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the international community to condemn the attack. Zakharova called it "a heinous crime committed right before the eyes of all humanity."

In a statement from New York, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack in “the strongest terms,” and offered his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, the people and the Government of Russia. The UN is closely monitoring the situation.

Speaking to reporters, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated: “Our thoughts are with the victims of this horrific attack. The images are terrible and difficult to look at.”

The European Union (EU) and many European countries, as well as the governments of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, issued statements strongly condemning the terrorist attack and expressing solidarity with the families of the victims, as well as with the government and people of Russia.

While Russia has not yet released information about the gunmen, according to a Western source, a branch of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack on Telegram, and US officials confirmed this claim shortly afterward.

According to U.S. counterterrorism officials, after a period of inactivity, ISIS is seeking to intensify attacks outside Afghanistan. Most of these plots in Europe have been thwarted, leading experts to assess that the group's capabilities have diminished.

The New York Times, citing U.S. officials, reported that according to intelligence gathered in March, the Islamic State Khorasan, also known as ISIS-K, an Afghan-based branch of IS, had planned an attack on Moscow. IS members had been operating in Russia for some time.

Colin P. Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst at Soufan Group, a New York-based security consulting firm, said ISIS-K has focused on Russia for the past two years. In addition to the public warning on March 7th about a possible attack, the U.S. said it had privately informed Russian officials of intelligence predicting an imminent attack.

KHANH HUNG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tan-cong-tai-moscow-hon-200-nguoi-thuong-vong-post731986.html