International

Russia arrests concert hall gunmen as death toll hits 115

Published

2 years ago

March 23, 2024

Russia arrests concert hall gunmen as death toll hits 115

Russia announced on Saturday that it had arrested 11 people, including four gunmen, in connection with the Islamic State’s attack on a Moscow concert hall, as the death toll increased to 115.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to comment publicly on the attack, and Moscow has not addressed the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility, even as some lawmakers pointed to a possible Ukraine connection.

Camouflaged gunmen opened fire at the packed Crocus City Hall in Moscow’s northern suburb of Krasnogorsk on Friday evening, ahead of a concert by Soviet-era rock band Piknik, in the deadliest attack in Russia for at least a decade.

Russia’s FSB security service said some of the perpetrators had fled towards the Russia-Ukraine border, adding that the assailants had “appropriate contacts” in the country.

It did not provide further details.

Some Russian lawmakers also pointed to Kyiv without providing evidence.

“The main interested party could most likely be Ukraine and its patrons… We can’t rule it out,” said senior Russian MP Andrey Kartapolov.

Ukraine, which has been facing a Russian military offensive for the past two years, had “nothing to do” with the attack, according to a statement by presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak on Telegram.

The Kremlin said the head of the FSB security service had informed President Vladimir Putin about the arrests, while authorities warned the number of fatalities was set to keep rising, with more than 100 still hospitalised and a search of the burnt-out venue ongoing.

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“FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov reported to the president the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists involved in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall,” it said.

In the more than 12 hours since the attack, Putin has not made any public statements or appeared in public.

The Kremlin said Putin was being kept constantly informed, and a government official said he had wished a speedy recovery to the victims.

At least 115 killed

Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said rescue workers were still working on site, pulling bodies from the building.

“The emergency services have found more bodies while removing the rubble. The death toll now stands at 115 people,” it said in a statement on Telegram.

The number of fatalities was likely to rise further, as the governor of the Moscow region said rescuers would continue to scour the site for “several days.”

Investigators said people died both from gunshot wounds and from smoke inhalation after a fire engulfed the 6,000-seater venue.

“The terrorists used a flammable liquid to set fire to the concert hall’s premises, where spectators were located, including wounded,” the Investigative Committee said.

Flames had quickly spread through the venue on Friday after reports of the mass shooting, with screaming concert-goers rushing to emergency exits.

Social media footage revealed that some filmed the gunmen from the upper floors as they appeared to methodically walk through the stalls, shooting people.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Friday, saying its fighters attacked “a large gathering” on Moscow’s outskirts and “retreated to their bases safely.”

Russian authorities have called it a “terrorist attack”, but have not commented on the Islamic State’s claim.

Some 107 people were still in hospitals on Saturday morning, according to Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry.

Russian Telegram channels, including Baza which is close to the security services, and a lawmaker said some of the suspects were from the central Asian nation of Tajikistan.

In a statement, Tajikistan’s foreign affairs ministry said it had not received any information from Moscow about the involvement of its citizens.

In Moscow, residents formed long queues in the Saturday morning rain to donate blood, according to videos posted by state media outlets.

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Memorial posters featuring a single candle replaced advertising billboards at some Moscow bus stops, the RIA Novosti state agency reported.

Major events were cancelled across the country, including a friendly football match between Russia and Paraguay set to take place in Moscow on Monday.

Statements of condemnation from world leaders continued to roll in.

On Saturday, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said the Taliban “condemns in the strongest terms the recent terrorist attack in Moscow, Russia … and considers it a blatant violation of all human standards.”

US warning dismissed

Attention is also being focused on Russia’s powerful intelligence services in the wake of the attack.

Just three days before, Putin had publicly dismissed Western warnings of an imminent attack in Moscow as propaganda designed to scare Russian citizens.

On 7 March, the US embassy in Russia had issued a security alert saying it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts.”

Washington said it had directly warned Russian authorities about a “planned terrorist attack” possibly targeting “large gatherings” in Moscow.

The United States had “shared this information with Russian authorities,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said.

But speaking to FSB chiefs last Tuesday, Putin said: “Recent provocative statements by a number of official Western structures about the possibility of terrorist attacks in Russia… resemble outright blackmail and an intention to intimidate and destabilise our society.”

Earlier in March, the FSB said it had killed Islamic State militants who were planning an attack on a Moscow synagogue.

Over recent weeks, the agency has announced on an almost daily basis the arrest of several pro-Ukrainian saboteurs it said were plotting attacks on Russian military infrastructure, AFP news agency reported.

Russia arrests concert hall gunmen as death toll hits 115

International

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

Published

5 hours ago

September 12, 2026

Trends Admin

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

At least 44 people were injured after a passenger train carrying 186 people derailed in northwestern France on Friday evening, with an 18-year-old woman among those injured and reported to be in critical condition.

The Rouen-Caen regional train derailed at about 7:45 p.m. local time near Cléon, in the Seine-Maritime department of Normandy, while travelling between the cities of Rouen and Caen.

The incident triggered a major emergency response, with authorities deploying about 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 emergency vehicles to the scene.

A mass-casualty emergency plan was activated to coordinate the rescue operation and treatment of those injured.

According to Rouen prosecutor Sébastien Gallois, 44 passengers were injured in the France train derailment, including the 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to Rouen University Hospital in critical condition.

The other 43 injured passengers were treated for less serious injuries.

The initial estimate of the number of injured passengers was lower, but the figure was revised to 44 after emergency teams completed their assessment of passengers at the scene.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the train was travelling between Rouen and Caen when the accident occurred.

A passenger identified as 24-year-old Louis described the moments before the train accident in France as frightening.

He said the train first experienced several jolts before the movement became increasingly violent.

“Suddenly there were a few jolts, and then after about three seconds it got stronger and stronger,” he told ICI Normandie radio.

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“I couldn’t stay in my seat any more. The windows partially shattered; the stones from the track came into the carriage. It was really shocking. I’m still shaking,” he said.

A police source said the train may have struck an unidentified object shortly before it derailed. However, authorities have not established whether the object was responsible for the accident.

The cause of the Cléon train derailment therefore remains under investigation.

The Rouen prosecutor said drug and alcohol tests conducted on the train driver were negative.

Police and railway investigators have begun examining the train, the railway infrastructure and the circumstances surrounding the derailment to determine what caused the accident.

The railway operator, SNCF Réseau, suspended traffic on the affected line and switched off electricity to the tracks to allow emergency workers to operate safely.

“The priority is to care for the passengers and then to restore safe operating conditions,” SNCF Réseau said.

The disruption affected rail services along the Rouen-Caen route, while other services connecting Caen with Le Havre were also affected.

Rail authorities worked to arrange alternative transport for passengers whose journeys were disrupted while emergency and investigative operations continued at the accident scene.

Passengers who were not seriously injured were moved away from the crash site as emergency teams attended to those requiring medical attention.

The prefecture urged members of the public to stay away from the affected area to allow rescue workers and investigators to carry out their duties.

The accident caused significant disruption to rail services across the region, with authorities prioritising the safety of passengers and the restoration of the affected railway line.

The investigation is expected to establish whether the train’s contact with the unidentified object, a problem with the railway infrastructure or another factor contributed to the derailment.

As of the latest reports, there were no fatalities recorded in the accident, while the 18-year-old woman remained in critical condition and the other injured passengers were receiving medical attention.

Authorities said investigations into the France train accident were continuing.

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

International

Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

Published

17 hours ago

September 11, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

A holiday trip in Switzerland has ended in tragedy after a coach carrying 45 Dutch adults overturned in the eastern part of the country, killing five people and injuring the remaining passengers.

The crash occurred on Thursday afternoon on the road linking Susch and Zernez in the Graubünden region. Police said the vehicle went off the roadway while passing through an area where construction work was taking place before overturning.

Three of those injured are in serious condition, while another 37 people sustained less severe injuries. The driver, who is also Dutch, survived the crash but was among those taken for medical treatment.

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Authorities have begun investigating the incident and are working to establish what caused the coach to leave the road.

Tour operator Oad said the company was devastated by the deaths and described the incident as a deeply shocking tragedy.

The crash took place close to Zernez, a popular gateway to Switzerland’s National Park, a large Alpine nature reserve in the Engadine valley.

Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

International

Iran’s President Seeks End to War as US Tightens Economic Pressure

Published

18 hours ago

September 11, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Iran’s President Seeks End to War as US Tightens Economic Pressure

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said he does not support prolonging the war with the United States, while urging Iran to strengthen its economic and political resilience.

Speaking to university leaders, Pezeshkian said Tehran must avoid entering negotiations from a position of weakness, particularly as the US increases pressure through its Operation Economic Outcast campaign.

He called on universities to help the government tackle the country’s economic and social challenges, warning that poorly planned policies could worsen existing problems.

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Pezeshkian also urged young Iranians, including Generation Z students, to contribute to solving social problems rather than allowing frustration to fuel protests.

The president said he was willing to work with different political groups and anyone capable of helping Iran overcome its current difficulties.

His comments come amid growing pressure on Tehran to find a way forward. The conflict began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Iranian missile and drone strikes against Israel and US positions across the region.

With Washington now intensifying economic pressure, Pezeshkian’s remarks reflect the challenge facing Tehran: resisting US demands while preventing the prolonged conflict and sanctions from further weakening the country.