At least 60 people were killed and 145 injured after a group of armed men in combat fatigues said to be ISIS stormed into a concert hall in Moscow and unleashed gunfire and detonated explosives among the crowd on Friday (local time), Russian media reported.
The Islamic State of Iran and Syria has claimed responsibility for the massive attack on concert hall in the Russian capital, CNN reported.
Reuters has reported that at least 60 people have been killed and over 145 injured after five armed men fired on the crowd, in one of the worst attacks on Russia in years.
However Russia-based RT News reported, citing unofficial reports, that over 40 people have reportedly been killed and about 130 are wounded.
Notably, the Russian authorities have not released an official death toll so far. Al Jazeera cited a video posted on social media that showed huge plumes of black smoke rising over the building.
Another video footage from the scene showed a large plume of black smoke billowing from the burning building, which appeared engulfed in flames.
Around 100 people were evacuated from the building by firefighters, TASS reported.
Rescuers are still working to get people off the roof, according to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation.
More than 50 ambulance teams were sent to Krasnogorsk, a town in the Moscow region, to provide medical care to all those in need, the Moscow Region Ministry of Health told RIA Novosti.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has expressed condolences for the people whose loved ones have been killed and called the incident a “terrible tragedy”, as reported by CNN.
“Today a terrible tragedy occurred in the Crocus City center. My condolences to the loved ones of the victims. I gave orders to provide all necessary assistance to everyone who suffered during the incident,” Sobyanin said in a statement.
