Moscow (Washington Insider Magazine)—In a recent telephone conversation, the presidents of Russia and Syria, Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad, respectively, vowed to bolster their collaboration in combating terrorism following a claimed ISIS attack on the outskirts of Moscow. The Kremlin issued an official statement detailing the agreement to enhance their coordination not only in counterterrorism efforts but also across various bilateral domains.
Expressing solidarity, Assad vehemently denounced the assault, which resulted in over 130 fatalities, extending condolences to the Russian populace and wishing a swift recovery to the numerous injured individuals currently hospitalized in Moscow and its vicinity.
The incident marks a grim recurrence of ISIS-affiliated assaults on Russian soil. Since 2015, the jihadist group has perpetrated at least 14 attacks in Russia, according to data compiled by EFE and corroborated by sources such as the United States Department of State. These attacks encompass a spectrum of violence, ranging from assaults on law enforcement personnel to mass casualties inflicted in public spaces like churches and concert halls.
According to EUJ.TV, Following Friday’s tragedy, Putin addressed the nation, denouncing the attack as a “savage terrorist act” and promising punitive measures against all responsible parties. In a decree, he declared Sunday a national day of mourning and announced the apprehension of 11 individuals, including the four directly implicated terrorists, in the Bryansk region near the borders with Ukraine and Belarus.
Putin vowed to pursue all collaborators involved in harboring the attackers, emphasizing that justice would be served indiscriminately to all perpetrators, organizers, and accomplices.
Meanwhile, the ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan claimed responsibility for the attack, characterizing it as a strike against a gathering of “Christians.” In a subsequent statement, the group elaborated on the methods used in the assault, which allegedly involved firearms, bladed weapons, and incendiary devices, underscoring their ongoing campaign against nations perceived as adversaries of Islam.