Dagestan official removed after sons suspected of Makhachkala and Derbent Attacks
Sergei Melikov, head of the Dagestan Republic, announced the dismissal of the Sergokalinsky district's head, Magomed Omarov, after his sons were suspected of participating in yesterday’s terrorist attack in Makhachkala and Derbent.
Melikov emphasized that if Omarov's involvement is confirmed, he will face full responsibility, though the investigation will determine his exact role.
Omarov was detained after it was reported that his sons Osman and Adil, along with his nephew Abdusamad Amadziev, were involved in the attacks on religious sites and a police post, which resulted in 20 deaths, including 15 police officers.
Omarov claimed to have had no contact with them in recent years. Additionally, another nephew of Omarov, Ali Zakarigaev, was killed in a counter-terrorism operation following the attacks.
Dagestan is a multi-ethnic, majority-Muslim republic located in Russia's North Caucasus region. It is also home to an ancient Jewish community whose numbers have dwindled in recent decades.
As part of the spillover from the wars in Chechnya, Dagestan saw repeated acts of terrorism in the early 2000s. A violent but low-intensity insurgency against the government also went on for several years in the area.
Nate Ostiller
