MOSCOW: Inmates at a prison colony in Russia’s southern Volgograd region took staff members hostage on Friday, marking the second such incident in Russian jails since June.
The federal penitentiary service reported that convicts at IK-19 correctional institution had taken several employees hostage, and there are casualties. Efforts are underway to free the hostages.
According to Russia’s investigative committee, “several prisoners” were involved in the hostage-taking. Social media videos from Russia show around four prison guards being held captive, with some appearing to be injured.
The IK-19 prison colony is located in Surovikino, approximately 850 kilometers (530 miles) south of Moscow. The incident occurred during a meeting of the prison’s disciplinary commission.
In a similar event in June, prisoners affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group staged a siege at a jail in the southern Rostov region. Russian special forces eventually neutralized the hostage-takers and rescued the guards after a prolonged standoff.
No additional details have been provided about Friday’s incident, including the identities of the hostage-takers or their demands.
This attack follows a deadly March incident where IS fighters killed 145 people at a Moscow concert hall, marking the deadliest terror attack in Russia in two decades.
IS has consistently threatened Russia in retaliation for its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s campaign against the group.
