Gunmen have attacked a concert hall on the fringes of Moscow, killing at least 143 people and wounding 100 more, Russian security services said. Attackers clad in camouflage gear took part in the attack, in the north-western suburb of Krasnogorsk, BBC-verified video shows.
According to an unverified statement online, militant group Islamic State said it was behind the attack. Four men directly involved were among 11 arrested yesterday, officials said. Russian State media ‘RT’ published a video footage of an arrested, where the arrested confessed that he was offered $ 5400 to shoot anyone and the terrorist act was organized on Telegram with an unknown person who provided weapons.
Crocus City Hall was about to host a rock concert when the gunmen burst into the foyer and then the theatre itself. Much of the building was engulfed by fire and part of the roof collapsed. Children are said to be among the casualties and the Russian foreign ministry has condemned a "terrorist attack".
According to an unverified statement online, militant group Islamic State said it was behind the attack. US officials told CBS, the BBC's partner service in the US, that it had obtained intelligence that showed IS had wanted to attack Russia. The White House said it had warned Russia earlier this month of plans for a potential attack in Moscow targeting "large gatherings".
US officials told CBS, the BBC's partner service in the US, that it had obtained intelligence that showed IS had wanted to attack Russia. The White House said it had warned Russia earlier this month of plans for a potential attack in Moscow targeting "large gatherings".
A security guard described how the heavily-armed attackers burst into the foyer firing bullets as he and his colleagues were working at the central entrance. "There were three other security guards and they hid behind an advertising board," he told Russian telegram channel Baza. "And those attackers passed 10m
away from us - they started shooting randomly at people on the ground floor."
Inside the auditorium a woman said she and other visitors rushed towards the stage, as soon as they realised shots were being fired. "I saw a person in the stalls with a sidearm and there were cracks
going off, I was trying to crawl behind a loudspeaker," she told Russian TV. Fire and plumes of smoke rose into the sky and the hall's facade burst into flames as glass on the top two floors of the building blew out.The fire appeared to have started when the attackers threw some kind of incendiary device. One man, Vitaly, described seeing the attackers opening fire while he was on a balcony in the concert theatre: "They threw some petrol bombs, everything started burning. We were led out towards an exit."
Another eyewitness said children and teenagers were in the complex at the time of the attack, taking part in a ballroom dancing competition. While some of those in the concert hall were able to flee to the parking area from the stage, others headed to the roof and Russian authorities said about 100 more had escaped through the basement. Dozens of ambulance crews were immediately sent to the scene and stood outside the complex in Krasnogorsk for some time after the attack.
