Al-Qaeda affiliate claims responsibility for bombing in Russia

An organization believed to be linked to al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the subway bombing earlier this month in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

People lay flowers in memory of the victims of the St. Petersburg subway bombing. Photo: Reuters

AFP news agency quoted a source from the US intelligence organization SITE on April 25 to announce this statement.

On April 3, Akbarjon Djalilov, a Russian national born in Kyrgyzstan, carried out a suicide bombing on the Russian subway, killing 15 people and injuring dozens of others.

The SITE intelligence organization cited an announcement by the Imam Shamil Battalion group published on April 24, saying that the group carried out the attack under orders from Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

The little-known group's claim of responsibility was first reported by Mauritania's ANI news agency, which is often used by jihadist groups in West and North Africa to make announcements, Reuters reported.

The Imam Shamil Battalion group said the bombing was a message to Russia and other countries fighting against Muslims that the 'price' of such a war was 'very high'.

They threaten that things are just getting started and will not be deterred by any increased security and precautionary measures taken by governments.

Russia remains on high alert since a suicide bombing on the country's subway system in Saint Petersburg, Russia's second largest city./.

According to TTO