'India Stands With Russia In Hour Of Grief': PM Modi Condemns Moscow Concert Hall Attack

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terror attack inside a packed concert hall in Moscow on Saturday, calling it a 'heinous act' and expressing solidarity with the Russian government and its people. "We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief," PM Modi posted from his X handle.

 

We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 23, 2024

 

The assault, which occurred at the Crocus City Hall concert venue, shook the capital city of Russia to its core. Reports indicate that a group of armed assailants stormed the venue, unleashing chaos by opening fire and detonating explosives among the unsuspecting crowd. Eyewitness footage from the scene shows a harrowing picture of pandemonium and terror, with the concert hall engulfed in flames and thick smoke billowing into the air. Amidst the chaos, terrified concert-goers sought refuge, their screams mingling with the deafening gunfire echoing through the venue.

ISIS Claims Responsibility

According to sources, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the reprehensible attack, which resulted in a devastating toll of at least 60 fatalities and left 145 individuals wounded. However, the veracity of this claim remains to be fully substantiated.

The claim of responsibility by ISIS was later corroborated by US officials, who had earlier warned Russian authorities about intelligence indicating a potential attack. The US had received intelligence in March suggesting that ISIS-K, the Afghanistan-based branch of ISIS, was planning an assault on Moscow. The attack on Friday in Moscow, followed by the one in Iran in January, could prompt a reassessment of its ability to strike outside its home territory, according to the NYT.

The swift and coordinated response from local authorities, including the deployment of SWAT teams and the mobilization of over 70 ambulance teams, underscores the gravity of the situation. As efforts to aid the injured continue, it is evident that this brazen act of violence has inflicted profound trauma upon the city of Moscow. 

115 people have been hospitalised, including five children, the Russian Health Ministry told TASS. 60 people are in a 'serious condition'. Moscow City Duma Chairman Alexey Shaposhnikov called on Moscow residents to donate blood to help treat victims, saying that "this is a matter of life and death for dozens of people."  

This tragic incident marks the deadliest terrorist attack on Moscow in decades and has prompted global condemnation and expressions of solidarity. As the investigation into the attack unfolds, efforts are underway to provide aid and medical assistance to the injured. Regional authorities have mobilized emergency response teams and called on citizens to donate blood to help treat the victims.