ISIS inmates ‘liquidated’ after they took two prison officers hostage in Russia’s Rostov

From WION and Reuters

In a shocking turn of events, Islamic State (IS) inmates took two prison officers hostage in a jail in southern Russia on Sunday (Jun 16). Prison authorities said chaos erupted at the detention centre ‘Number One’ in Rostov city as “the inmates took two prison officers hostage”. The statement added that negotiations were underway with the inmates to secure the release of hostages. Russia’s state-backed TASS news agency reported that the inmates are due to appear in court and are held under terrorism charges. That should read “were”.

The six hostage takers, one of whom wore a headband with the flag used by the Islamic State that bears an Arabic inscription, knocked out window bars and climbed down several floors by rope before taking the guards hostage with a knife and fire axe.

In video published by the 112 Telegram channel, one was shown brandishing a knife beside one of the bound guards in Rostov-on-Don. In negotiations with the authorities, they demanded free passage out of the prison.

Prison authorities later said both prison officers were freed without harm and the IS inmates were “liquidated”.

“During a special operation… the criminals were liquidated and the employees taken hostage were freed and were not wounded,” the service said in a statement. Intense automatic gunfire could be heard in footage published on Russian Telegram channels.

Video published by the 112 Telegram channel showed the six dead men in pools of blood.

Ambulances were seen entering the complex.