Russia arrests shooters as death toll from Moscow attack rises to 143

Russia on Saturday said it has arrested at least 11 people, including four terrorists, after a deadly shooting in Moscow's outskirts Friday night that claimed 143 lives. 

The attack on concertgoers is said to be the deadliest in Russia in more than two decades.

According to Kremlin, the head of the FSB security service had informed President Vladimir Putin about the arrests today.

"FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov reported to the president on the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists involved in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall," it said in a statement.

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said Saturday that at least 115 people had been killed and 123 have been injured.

Reporting 93 deaths earlier in the day, the committee said in a Telegram post that the toll was expected to rise. 

Investigative Committee said people died both from gunshot wounds and from smoke inhalation after a fire engulfed the packed venue in Moscow's northern Krasnogorsk suburb.

Daesh claims responsibility for attack

Meanwhile, Daesh — taking to the Telegram messaging app — has claimed responsibility for the attack with the group stating that its fighter "attacked a large gathering... on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow".

Daesh statement added that the attackers had "retreated to their bases safely".

Russia's National Guard said it was on the scene and looking for the perpetrators.

Gunmen opened fire at a rock concert in a northern Moscow suburb killing at least 40 people, wounding 100 and setting off an inferno in the theatre, authorities said.

Attackers dressed in camouflage uniforms entered the building, opened fire and threw a grenade or incendiary bomb, according to a journalist for the RIA Novosti news agency at the scene.

Russian authorities said a "terrorist" investigation had been started and President Vladimir Putin was receiving "constant" updates, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies.

— Additional input by AFP