The governor of Dagestan (Russia) condemns the assault on the airport by a violent mob "looking for Jews"

The attacks left more than twenty people injured, two of them "extremely serious", and 60 detained

The governor of Dagestan (Russia), Sergei Melikov, has condemned the assault by a group of violent protesters against the airport of Makhachkala, capital of the Russian region with a Muslim majority, who "were looking for Jews" after the landing of a plane from Tel Aviv, which has also left more than twenty people injured.

Among the 20 injured, including both police and civilians, at least ten have needed to be hospitalized, according to a balance confirmed by the regional Ministry of Health, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.

"Hospital doctors are treating ten injured people as a result of the incident at Makhachkala airport. Two people are in extremely serious condition," the authorities said.

The Russian Interior Ministry has indicated that it has identified 150 "active participants in the riots", of which it has detained 60, who have been transferred to police stations for further investigation. The Police are carrying out more search operations to identify all those involved, the letter says.

For its part, the Federal Air Transport Agency has indicated that the airport will provisionally resume its activities this Tuesday. "The period of temporary closure of the airport for the reception of aircraft will provisionally continue until 05:59 Moscow time on October 31," he indicated, before adding that it can only be opened after a thorough inspection.

"The actions of those who gathered today at Makhachkala airport constitute a flagrant violation of the law. There is no courage in waiting in crowds for unarmed people who have not done anything prohibited (...) There is no honor in insulting strangers , put your hand in their pockets and try to check their passports. There are no good intentions in attacking women with children who were receiving treatment abroad," Melikov said on his official Telegram channel.

Thus, he has assured that these actions betray both the fight against the Islamist militias in the Dagestan war (1999) and the current war "against the Nazis" in Ukraine.

"All Dagestanis empathize with the suffering of the victims of the actions of wicked people and politicians and pray for peace in Palestine. But what happened at our airport is outrageous and must receive a proper evaluation by the agencies in charge of enforce the law! And so it will be done," added the governor.

For its part, Washington has also spoken out against the assault and has proclaimed its support for the Jewish community in a context of "global rise in anti-Semitism."

"The United States strongly condemns the anti-Semitic protests in Dagestan (Russia). The United States unequivocally supports the entire Jewish community as we witness a global rise in anti-Semitism. There is never any excuse or justification for anti-Semitism," the Security spokesperson published White House National, Adrienne Watson, on her social network account X, formerly Twitter.

The riot attacked the airport this Sunday, reaching the airport runways, so the passengers of the designated flight had to return to the plane due to the threat of the rioters, according to Russian media and videos published on social networks. The Federal Air Transport Agency has confirmed the closure of the airport and two other flights from Nizhnevartovsk and Moscow have been redirected to Mineralnie Vodi and Vladikavkaz.

Finally, the security forces have used riot control measures to break up the protest and the federal Investigative Committee has announced the opening of a criminal investigation under Article 212 of the Penal Code for "massive riots with violence." This article also includes intentional fires, destruction of property, the use of firearms, explosives or armed resistance to government agents and also pogroms.

Flight WZ 4728 of the Red Wings airline from Isarel's Ben Gurion Airport was the target of the violent men, who searched the passports of some of the passengers on the plane and of people leaving the airport in cars, according to the news portal. Russian Baza.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Dagestan government has warned that all participants in these riots may be prosecuted under Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code for violation of the established procedure for organizing demonstrations or rallies. Likewise, incitement to riots or ethnic hatred will also be prosecuted.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Foreign Ministry have called on Russian authorities to protect Israeli citizens and Jews in Dagestan in a joint statement.

"Israel expects the Russian legal authorities to safeguard the well-being of all Israeli citizens and Jews wherever they are and to take strong measures against rioters and against the savage hatred directed against Jews and Israelis," he noted.

For all these reasons, "the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Security Council are following the events in the south of Russia, in the Dagestan district."

In addition, the Israeli ambassador in Moscow, Alex Ben Zvi, "is working with the Russian authorities to ensure the well-being of Jews and Israelis there."