Four dead in Russian jail hostage-taking
Four prison staff members were killed after prisoners initiated a revolt in a remote Russian penal colony, taking hostages, according to federal authorities.
Special forces stormed the IK-19 Surovikino facility in the southwestern Volgograd region after the prisoners, claiming allegiance to Islamic State (IS), seized control of the large complex armed with knives.
Authorities reported that special forces were able to free some hostages and “neutralize” all attackers. However, it was later confirmed that four prison employees had lost their lives.
An unverified image shared on social media appeared to show an inmate with a knife standing over a bloodied prison guard during the uprising.
Russia’s Rosgvardia National Guard stated that snipers killed four attackers during the rescue operation.
Footage posted on the Telegram messaging app by the National Guard showed heavily armed troops arriving at the prison.
The Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) stated that the revolt began during a disciplinary commission meeting, during which the attackers reportedly slashed guards and injured several prison staff members.
According to the FSIN, eight prison employees and four inmates had been taken hostage. Some Russian media reports suggested that the prison’s director and deputy director were among those held.
“The criminals inflicted stab wounds of varying severity on four employees, three of whom died. Another four who resisted were hospitalised, one of whom died in the hospital.”
The FSIN denied that the attackers had taken control of the entire prison, saying: “The criminals took hostages and occupied one single room on the territory of the colony.”
According to a law enforcement source quoted by Russian state news agency TASS, there are “reasons to say that the taking of hostages was prepared in advance and was well-planned”.
Russian media named the attackers as Ramzidin Toshev, 28, Rustamchon Navruzi, 23, Nazirchon Toshov, 28, and Temur Khusinov, 29. All were natives of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
In dramatic mobile phone footage released by the attackers, they identified themselves as IS militants. The men said they were motivated by the desire to avenge the persecution of Muslims.
The video also showed prison officials lying in pools of blood, while in separate clips the attackers roamed the prison courtyard.
Volgograd regional governor Andrei Bocharov said earlier that the hostage-taking posed “no threat to the civilian population”.
President Vladimir Putin was filmed taking part in a virtual meeting with security chiefs, during which the Kremlin said he had been updated on the situation.
The Volgograd hostage-taking is the second such incident this summer, after six prisoners who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group captured two guards at a facility in the neighbouring Rostov region.
Five of the prisoners were killed and a sixth sentenced to 20 years in prison following the attack.
Prosecutors said they had opened a case relating to a hostage-taking.
IK-19 Surovikino is a high-security penal colony. It is believed to hold about 1,200 inmates.
