Arab Canada News
News
Published: March 30, 2024
Foreign diplomats in Russia laid flowers today, Saturday, at the site of the attack that occurred last week on a concert hall in a suburb of Moscow, resulting in the death of 144 people.
Among those present were ambassadors from the United States, European Union countries, Africa, and Latin America. The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti noted that "about 130 diplomatic missions" took part, including representatives from "unfriendly countries."
Since the attack, thousands of people have brought bouquets of flowers, wreaths, and other symbols such as teddy bears, and have created a temporary memorial at the Crocus City Hall.
The Russian state news agency TASS reported on Saturday that the number of injured in the attack reached 551, citing figures from the Moscow regional administration affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. Previous figures were much lower and did not explain this discrepancy.
The death toll rose to 144 on Friday when a victim seriously wounded in the hospital died, according to Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko.
A group affiliated with ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest on Russian soil in years. However, the Kremlin insisted that Ukraine and the West were involved, a claim Kyiv strongly denied.
RIA Novosti reported on Friday that the State Security Service of Tajikistan arrested nine people in connection with the attack.
In Russia, nine suspects have so far appeared in court and have been remanded in custody pending the case. The last session was held on Friday, where the judge of the Basmanny District Court ruled that the suspect Lotfi Nasramad must be detained until at least May 22. The independent Russian news site Mediazona quoted Nasramad in court saying he was born in Tajikistan.
Since the attack, the Ministry of Labor, Migration, and Employment in Tajikistan has recorded an influx of migrant workers returning from Moscow to Tajikistan.
Deputy Minister of Labor Shakhnosa Noderi told TASS on Saturday, "There are many calls. These are probably not many complaints about harassment as much as they are related to fear and panic among our citizens. Many want to leave. We are currently monitoring the situation; the number of people coming (to Tajikistan) is greater than those leaving."
Russian officials earlier said that 11 suspects had been arrested, including four allegedly responsible for carrying out the attack. These four, who are Tajik citizens, appeared in a Moscow court on Sunday on terrorism charges and showed signs of severe beating. One of them appeared barely conscious during the hearing.
Additionally, the Russian Investigative Committee said on Thursday that it had arrested another suspect in connection with the Crocus City Hall raid, suspected of financing the attack. No further details were provided about the identity of the suspect or their alleged actions.
Comments