Three people have killed and a further 18 were injured after a car bombing in southern Russia's Dagestan at a police checkpoint near the city of Derbent. ISIS terrorists have claimed responsibility in a tweet. FSB says a local terrorist group was used for the job.
Reports say a Lada Priora approached the police checkpoint and the bomb was detonated. It was later determined that a police officer pulled the driver over to check their papers. Witnesses say this is when they heard a powerful blast.
The number of injured and dead includes police officers and civilians.
The blast was reportedly so strong it completely incinerated four vehicles parked in the vicinity of the checkpoint. A video posted online shows the scene of the massive explosion, with black smoke billowing from vehicles near the blast, as police get to work. Part of the checkpoint building was destroyed.
The same checkpoint was the scene of an armed assault only the previous night. On that occasion, unknown assailants fired on the checkpoint, wounding one officer.
Although ISIS claimed responsibility, the blame is being placed squarely on a local band of terrorists calling themselves 'Yuzhdag' (short for Southern Dagestan), according to the FSB.
The group was founded in 2011 and operates in the aforementioned part of the region. Federal sources say its numbers decreased from 30 to only 10 members in the last two years, thanks to anti-terrorist efforts.
source : abna24
