The death toll from last night’s attack on Crocus City Hall has now risen to 115 – ISIS Claims Responsibility For Attack At Moscow Concert Hall

Russian Ministry of Emergency Situation

The death toll from last night’s attack on Crocus City Hall has now risen to 115, the Russian Investigative Committee says.

According to a post on the Telegram messaging app that the committee shared, emergency services who are clearing the rubble at the concert venue have found more dead bodies at the site.

“The death toll currently stands at 115 people,” it has said, adding that the search is continuing.

On the evening of March 22, a large-scale terror attack occurred in Moscow, reportedly killing 115 individuals and injuring at least 100. ISIS via its propaganda outlet Amaq News Agency claimed responsibility for the attack.

In the deadliest attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege, gunmen sprayed civilians with bullets just before Soviet-era rock group Picnic was to perform to a full house at the 6,200-seat the Crocus City Hall just west of the capital.

In 2002, Chechen militants took about 800 people hostage at a Moscow theater. Special forces attacked the theater to end the crisis and 130 people were killed, most of them from the gas that Russian forces used to subdue the attackers.

The attack took place just days after a tightly controlled election handed another six-year term to Russian president Vladimir Putin, whose 24-year rule is founded on a vow to ensure security and stability in the country, even at the expense of human rights.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. The statement posted on its Telegram account read: “State fighters attacked a large gathering of Christians in the city of Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of the Russian capital, Moscow, killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place before they withdrew to their bases safely.”

US warned of extremists

The United States collected intelligence earlier this month about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow, potentially targeting large gatherings. The U.S. government “shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding ‘duty to warn’ policy,” Adrienne Watson, National Security Council spokesperson, said in a statement Friday night.

The U.S. embassy also issued a warning earlier this month that “extremists” had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow. Those warnings were repeated by other Western embassies and came hours after Russia’s top security agency said it foiled an attack the Islamic State group was preparing for a Moscow synagogue.

With this attack, ISIS has demonstrated again that it remains a dangerous global terrorist network. Since the October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel, ISIS has been under significant pressure to conduct attacks against targets outside immediate conflict zones to demonstrate its continued relevance as a global terrorist network to its sympathizers. Especially as the attention of the world media has been justifiably focused on Hamas, Hezbollah, and more recently the Houthis.

Given the fact that the current ISIS claim of responsibility is specific in identifying the location of the attack and asserting that some of its fighters were able to flee the scene, which seems to have been the case, this claim of responsibility appears credible.

IS-Khorasan Province (ISKP) is the most likely ISIS affiliate behind this attack, given its operational structure. In its propaganda statements ISKP has continuously highlighted the close relationship of Russia to the Taliban regime and called for attacks against both. Furthermore, since 2020, ISKP has made sustained attempts to conduct complex terrorist attacks in Europe. In summer 2020, German authorities arrested an ISKP-linked terrorist cell in Germany that, according to the federal prosecutor of Germany, was planning to attack U.S. military installations in Germany. Additional ISKP linked cells were arrested in summer 2023 in Germany and in the Netherlands. In December 2023, German and Austrian authorities arrested ISKP members who planned to conduct attacks against events in Europe during the Christmas holiday. Finally, this week, German authorities arrested two Afghan members of ISKP who reportedly planned attacks in Sweden.

During these arrests, it became clear that ISKP is returning to the “classic” terrorist methodology, made infamous by al-Qaeda in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Operatives are recruited and trained outside the target countries, operate as multi-person cells, and aim to conduct spectacular, more complex terror attacks than those carried out by lone actors. The attack Friday night in Moscow seems to have been an example of this methodology.

Various countries condole with Russia over Crocus City Hall terrorist attack

The governments worldwide have expressed condolences to Russia over the death of people in the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack.

In particular, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on social media, “I resolutely condemn the recent terrorist attack in Moscow and express condolences to the families of those killed and my counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the government and people of Russia over this tragic incident.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said in a statement that “Venezuela sincerely condoles with the relatives of people killed in this crimes that has no justification.” Maduro also expressed condolences to the Russian leadership and “the whole fraternal people of Russia.”

Pakistani authorities also extended condolences over the terrorist attack. “I strongly condemn the dastardly terrorist attack in Moscow and pray for the victims and their families. At this hour of national tragedy, Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people and government of the Russian Federation,” Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on social media.

European countries also condemned the Friday terrorist attack in Moscow.

In particular, Portuguese Foreign Minister Joao Gomes Cravinho said on social media that “the news coming from Moscow are horrible.” “Attacks on civilians are always unacceptable. We express condolences to the families of those killed,” he said.

The European Union reacted to the tragedy as well. “[We are] shocked and appalled by the reports of a terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall in Moscow. The EU condemns any attacks against civilians. Our thoughts are with all those Russian citizens affected,” EU spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy Peter Stano said on social media.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed “sincere condolences.” He also said he hopes that “terrorists who committed this horrible crime will be brought to justice.”

The French Foreign Ministry said that “our thoughts are with victims and those injured, as well as the Russian people.”

Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg said on social media that he “condemns terror in all its forms.” He also extended deepest condolences to the families of the victims.

The United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry said in a statement that “the UAE expresses its strong condemnation of these criminal acts.” “The ministry expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the government and people of Russia, and to the families of the victims of this heinous crime, as well as its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured,” the statement said.

Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel also condemned the terrorist attack and extended his condolences. “Cuba condemns this terrific terrorist attack in Moscow. We express sincere condolences to the authorities and citizens of Russia over the death of people and multiple injured people.”