ISIS-linked prisoners take guards hostage in Russian detention center
Six prisoners, some of whom have ties to the Islamic State, held guards hostage at a pre-trial detention center in Rostov, Russia, on Sunday, according to Russian media. The prisoners demanded free passage during negotiations with the authorities. They had managed to remove the bars from a cell window and entered a guard room, where they took at least two prison officers hostage.
Guards freed
According to the prison service, Russian special forces have now rescued the two guards and executed the men who had taken them hostage. In footage posted to Russian Telegram channels, intense automatic shooting can be heard. "The criminals were eliminated. The employees who were being held hostage were released. They are uninjured," Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service said in a statement, adding that a "special operation" was carried out to free the hostages.
Detainees linked to previous terrorist activities
State media reported that some of the prisoners were accused of terrorism offences, including affiliation with the Islamic State. This group had previously claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a Moscow concert hall in March. One of the hostage takers was shown on the 112 Telegram channel brandishing a knife beside one of the bound guards before special forces stormed the detention center. The hostage taker allegedly wore a headband featuring the Islamic State flag with an Arabic inscription.
