Five women have been killed in a shooting at a church in Russia’s volatile republic of Dagestan. Four of them were killed at the scene, while the other died later in a hospital.
One of them was an award-winning doctor, Lyudmila Shcherbakova, who had more than 40 years' experience working in Dagestan's hospitals.
Five others, including a police officer and a national guardsman, were injured. A man had fired at people leaving an evening service in the city of kizlyar.
The attacker who was shot and killed at the scene by the police was later identified as 22-year-old Khalil Khalilov, a resident of Dagestan.
Reports say the gunman used a hunting rifle, opening fire on worshippers leaving a service during celebrations for Maslenitsa - a traditional pre-lent festival.
The Islamic state (IS) group said it was behind the attack but did not immediately provide any evidence.
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