The death toll from the terror attack at a concert hall in Russia has risen to 133, it has been confirmed.
Yesterday (March 22), a group of four gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall on the outskirts of Moscow, and used incendiary devices to set the venue ablaze.
The incident occurred ahead of a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic.
It has become the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia since 2004, and the worst ever in the country’s capital.
Vladimir Putin has said that all four gunmen have been arrested, going on to claim without evidence that they had planned to flee to Ukraine after the attack (via The Guardian).
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on Telegram, citing a “raging war” between themselves and the countries fighting Islam. The Guardian has reported that US intelligence has also confirmed Islamic State’s claim.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry has rubbished Putin’s claim, accusing Russian officials of “stirring up anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society and creating conditions to boost mobilisation of Russian citizens into the criminal aggression against our state”.
Putin has also declared a day of mourning will be held on Sunday (March 24), with 145 people having been injured and 16 in a “critical” state.
“The number of victims of the terrorist attack will grow significantly,” said Andrei Vorobyov, governor of Moscow.
In addition to the Picnic concert, a number of children and teenagers were in the building in Krasnogorsk on the Northwestern outskirts of Moscow, preparing for a ballroom dancing competition.
The British foreign secretary, David Cameron, said the UK “condemns the deadly attack in the strongest possible terms”.