Russia says foiled Daesh attacks in Moscow, south

Russia said it had killed an alleged member of Daesh and arrested another. (File/Shutterstock)

• Two citizens of Russia planned a simultaneous attack on residents of Moscow and Astrakhan
• Astrakhan’s attacker put up "armed resistance" and was "neutralised with return fire", while 2nd attacker was detained in capital

MOSCOW: Russia said Thursday it had killed an alleged member of Daesh and arrested another, accusing them of planning simultaneous attacks in Moscow and the southern region of Astrakhan.
“Acting on the instructions of the leaders of the terrorist structure, two citizens of Russia planned a simultaneous attack on residents of Moscow and the Astrakhan region with the use of firearms and knives in crowded places,” Russia’s FSB security service said in a statement.
The security service said that the attacker in Astrakhan put up “armed resistance” and was “neutralized with return fire,” while the second attacker was detained in the Russian capital. It added that security officers were unharmed.
While inspecting the residences of the attackers, the FSB said it found “automatic firearms and ammunition, an F-1 grenade, as well as religious extremist literature.”
The FSB regularly claims to have intercepted terrorist plots, including by Daesh.
The security service in December said it had foiled an attack planned by a cell loyal to the extremist group in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, arresting four people.
In April 2017, Daesh claimed responsibility for the killing of two traffic policemen in Astrakhan, which lies several hundred kilometers northeast of the volatile North Caucasus region.