Islamic authorities in Russia's Dagestan region temporarily ban hijab due to security concerns

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Islamic authorities in Russia's Caucasian region of Dagestan on Wednesday temporarily banned women from wearing the "niqab", a veil covering the lower part of the face, due to security concerns.

The decision was taken following last month's simultaneous attacks targeting churches, synagogues, and a police checkpoint, which killed 22 people, including 17 policemen and a priest.

Dagestan's Deputy Mufti Abdulla Salimov said in a Telegram statement that due to existing security threats and following the "competent conclusion of the fatwa department," religious authorities have declared a temporary ban on wearing niqab until the mentioned threats are eliminated.

Assailants on June 23 attacked Orthodox churches, synagogues, and a traffic police post in Dagestan’s cities of Derbent and Makhachkala.