In what is being considered the deadliest attack for Russia in a decade, a group of Islamic State terrorists stormed into Moscow's Crocus City Hall on Friday and showered the crowd with relentless gunfiring which killed over ninety people while around a hundred and fifty others sustained injuries.
The brutal attack took place just days after President Vladimir Putin retained te highest power in the country following a huge electoral landslide.
About the attack: On Cam
As per the videos emerged on social media, a huge cloud of smoke was seen emerging from the concert hall with a capacity of six thousand people. Dozens of firetrucks, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles were rushed to the spot immediately after the attack.
The attack left the concert hall in flames with a collapsing roof. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin termed the raid a “huge tragedy.”
Islamic State claims responsibility
Hours after the attack, the terror outfit Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement.
According to the US intelligence, the agencies had learned the terror group's branch in Afghanistan was planning an attack in Moscow and shared the information with Russian officials.
It wasn't immediately clear what happened to the attackers after the raid, which state investigators were investigating as terrorism.
About the Russia attack
The deadly attack took place as crowds gathered for a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic. According to The Investigative Committee, Russia's apex state criminal investigation agency, more than 60 people were killed while the health authorities released a list of 145 injured.
Some Russian news reports suggested more victims could have been trapped by the blaze that erupted after the assailants threw explosives.