Photo credit: Twitter @RT and @cdgmeatpie

Islamic State claim one of their followers was responsible for killing five women exiting a church in Dagestan, southern Russia yesterday. The ‘soldier of the caliphate’ opened fire on a group of churchgoers as they were exiting mass for a ‘lent’ festival.

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Church <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/shooting?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#shooting</a> CCTV: Recording of deadly attack in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dagestan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dagestan</a> shows gunman open fire (DISTURBING) <a href="https://t.co/n1M7293MWB">https://t.co/n1M7293MWB</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fc8RDlCLnW">pic.twitter.com/Fc8RDlCLnW</a></p>— RT (@RT_com) <a href="https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/965318941055832065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>

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ISIS has been active in the region before and committed several attacks on security personnel in the past.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Russia: Four killed, many wounded in terrorist firing at Shrovetide festival crowd near Orthodox Church <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kizlyar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kizlyar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dagestan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dagestan</a> <a href="https://t.co/ASYu9hGxYd">pic.twitter.com/ASYu9hGxYd</a></p>— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmichaiStein1/status/965233452705636359?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>

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The church priest, who was responsible for saving many as he closed the church doors soon after the attacker started shooting, explains what happened: "We had finished the mass and were beginning to leave the church. A bearded man ran towards the church shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest) and killed four people."

"He was carrying a rifle and a knife."

Related coverage: <a href="http://thegoldwater.com/news/18746-Breaking-Video-ISIS-Attack-On-Christian-Church-In-Russia-Leaves-5-Dead">Breaking Video – ISIS Attack On Christian Church In Russia Leaves 5 Dead </a>.

The attacker was shot and killed at the scene by security personnel. He was later identified as 22-year-old Mr Khalil Khalilov, his Islamic soldier name was Khalil Al-Dagestani, a local resident of Dagestan.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dagestan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dagestan</a><br><br>Picture of the killed attacker who goes by the name: Khalil Al-Dagestani, he used a shotgun to kill: <a href="https://t.co/wafFmDkhr0">pic.twitter.com/wafFmDkhr0</a></p>— EMN NEWS (@EasternMediafax) <a href="https://twitter.com/EasternMediafax/status/965312968450854914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Whereas western Christian culture usually feasts carnival before starting lent (the 40-day fasting period before Easter), Orthodox Christianity (the official religion of Russia) celebrates Maslenitsa, a traditional pre-Lent festival, which is why worshippers had gathered in the church yesterday.

[tw_tags]#isis #islamicstate #terror #terrorism #maga #news [/tw_tags]

Source:

https://twitter.com/EasternMediafax/status/965312968450854914