Dirco condemns deadly Moscow concert hall attack

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) condemned the deadly attack on a concert hall in Moscow on Friday, which claimed the lives of dozens of people.   

In a late-night post on X (formerly Twitter), Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela said South African staff at the embassy and locally recruited staff were accounted for, as were South African students that the department is aware of.  

Associated Press reported that assailants burst into the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow and sprayed the crowd with gunfire, before setting the hall alight.  

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Members of the rock band Piknik, which was scheduled to play, were reportedly not injured. 

Monyela posted on X: "The #SouthAfricanEmbassy staff #Moscow incl Locally Recruited Personnel are all accounted for. All #SA  students that we know of in Moscow are safe. #SA condemns this & all acts of terror. Condolences to the families of the victims & we wish the injured speedy recoveries. We continue to monitor the situation & will share updates." 

TASS news agency said the gunmen, who were armed with assault rifles, began shooting in the lobby and entered the concert hall. Then an explosion occurred, setting the roof alight.