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The death toll from gunmen at a concert in the Russian capital Moscow has risen to 82. At least 100 others were injured. The attack took place at Crocus City Hall on the northern edge of Moscow on Friday night local time. The terrorist group Islamic State (IS) has already claimed responsibility for the attack.
Russian news agency Interfax reported that five gunmen carried out the attack. After the first firing, grenades or bombs are thrown there. The hall caught fire.
A band called Picnic was preparing to perform at the hall at the time of the attack. Six thousand 200 tickets were sold for this concert. That hall has a seating arrangement for more than nine thousand people. After the attack, members of various organizations came to rescue the casualties. They were taken to a local hospital by ambulance.
Condemning the attack, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it was a 'terrorist attack'. A large number of police have been deployed at the spot. The surrounding area has been evacuated. Russia's investigative agency has launched an investigation into the attack.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said today a terrible tragedy occurred in the Crocus City shopping center. He said, 'I feel sorry for the loved ones of the victims.'
Russia has beefed up security at airports and stations, as well as across the capital Moscow, a large urban area of more than 20 million people, Reuters said. However, President Vladimir Putin has yet to publicly comment on the attack.
Video of the attack, released by news agency Reuters, showed the attackers firing indiscriminately and throwing bombs inside the hall. A fire broke out on the roof of the auditorium and smoke filled all around.
Many people lay down on the ground to escape the attack, which lasted for about 15 to 20 minutes. When the firing stopped, people tried to crawl out.
About 100 people took shelter in the basement of the hall to escape the attack, Russia's Emergencies Ministry said on its Telegram channel. Many took shelter on the roof of the hall. All have been evacuated to safety.
“The entire international community must condemn this heinous crime,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. The United States also condemned the attack. However, the United States has said that Ukraine has no collusion with this attack.
The US also says it had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow. They informed Moscow about this earlier this month.
Meanwhile, after the attack, the Kremlin did not directly blame anyone, but some Russian lawmakers accused Ukraine of involvement in the attack.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev wrote on the Telegram app that if those responsible for the attack were Ukrainian, they should all be found and destroyed as terrorists.
Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, denied Ukrainian involvement in the attack.
Also Read: Gunmen Attack Russia Concert, Death Toll Rises To 60
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