Khabib Nurmagomedov has made a heartfelt statement in light of the recent harrowing attacks in Dagestan. On Sunday, June 23, reports emerged that gunmen had targeted police posts and places of worship igniting fear and chaos across the region. The attacks come months after a previous similarly devastating incident at a concert hall in Moscow caused the deaths of over 100 people.
While there have been no official statements about the identity or associations of the assailants at this time, according to reports online, Ghadzimurad Kagirov, an MMA fighter with links to Nurmagomedov’s gym has allegedly been identified as one of the milit**ts killed by Russian forces. As such, in a recent social media post, ‘The Eagle’ came out to criticize the incident and cleared the air on his gym’s association with Kagirov.
Khabib Nurmagomedov clears the air on his gym’s links to Dagestan attack assailant
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Reports online indicate that the attacks targeted the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala in Dagestan during the Orthodox festival of Pentecost. According to information provided by Russian authorities to Al Jazeera, 15 law enforcement officials and 5 civilians lost their lives in the attack and more than a dozen people have been hospitalized due to the injuries sustained in the ordeal.
In a statement shared by ‘Red Corner MMA’ on Instagram, Khabib Nurmagomedov spoke up against the violence and expressed deep sorrow and disbelief over the brutality in his hometown. The former UFC lightweight champion stated, “Going into a church and ki***ng someone just because they practice a different religion. Do I really need to condemn this? Isn’t it clear that this is a brutal and inhumane act? Where and when has something like this (been normal)? In Dagestan, over 30 nationalities, and of course, the majority practice Islam, but we also have Jews and Christians. This has never happened in 30-35 years, as long as I’ve lived in Dagestan.”
Emphasizing Dagestan’s history of religious co-existence, Nurmagomedov further highlighted the personal impact of the tragedy as he further went on to state, “How can this be normal? My children live there, my mother lives there, my family lives there, my brother, relatives they’re five minutes away from that place.”
Nurmagomedov also addressed the claims being reported that one of the assailants was a member of his gym as he clarified, “(The te***rist) is not our student, that is absolute nonsense, it’s not true. Yes, he had a camp at the gym at some point, maybe for a couple of months. But he was never part of the team.”
Dagestan, with its mosaic of cultures and religions, now grapples with the aftermath of this tragic event and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s plea for understanding and peace reflects the community’s desire for stability. In light of the incident, ‘The Eagle’ has also shared a message on social media for the victims of the attack and the Dagestani government has declared 3 days of mourning to be observed in the region.
Nurmagomedov makes a heartfelt post on social media and calls for a “peaceful sky”
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According to reports online, the Dagestani government has declared that flags will be flown at half-mast across the republic and cultural institutions and media companies have also cancelled all upcoming entertainment events and other programming. As such, sharing a black image on his Instagram account, Khabib Nurmagomedov stated, “My condolences to all the relatives and friends of the victims. May Allah save us all from such situations and grant us a peaceful sky over our heads.”
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As the community grapples with the tragedy, seeking solace and unity in the face of such violence, Nurmagomedov ended his post by stating, “Educating souls is more important than educating bodies.”
In these tough times, the former UFC champion’s call for peace and unity really offers a glimmer of hope for Dagestan. His words about the attacker’s loose ties to his gym also helped clear things up and support a community that’s hurting. So, to wrap it up, the world is standing with Dagestan right now, sharing Khabib Nurmagomedov’s hopes for a future where such awful events are just a distant memory.