In a horrific turn of events on Friday evening, at least 60 individuals lost their lives and over 100 others sustained injuries in a chilling assault orchestrated by gunmen linked to the Islamic State at a concert hall in a Moscow suburban area. The assailants, reportedly between two to five in number, donning tactical attire and armed with automatic weapons, stormed into the Crocus City concert hall during a scheduled performance by the artist group Piknik.

Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of terror as the attackers indiscriminately opened fire on the unsuspecting crowd and ignited a fire within the venue, exacerbating the chaos and panic. The swift and coordinated attack left the concert hall engulfed in flames, transforming the venue into a blazing inferno.

While the Islamic State promptly claimed responsibility for the barbaric onslaught, Russian authorities refrained from attributing blame immediately. Nevertheless, former president Dmitry Medvedev issued a stern warning, asserting that any involvement of Ukrainian leaders would be met with decisive action.

The aftermath of the assault saw a massive evacuation effort, with fire services aiding approximately 100 individuals in escaping through the concert hall’s basement. Miraculously, the Piknik rock band members were safely evacuated, and rescue operations were initiated to extricate individuals stranded on the roof. In the wake of the tragedy, President Vladimir Putin conveyed his condolences to the wounded victims and expressed gratitude to the medical personnel attending to them. While Putin has yet to issue a public statement regarding the attack, he has been briefed by top officials from various security and emergency agencies