Six detainees at a pretrial detention center in Rostov-on-Don, southern Russia, were killed on Sunday after taking two prison guards hostage.
The incident, reported by state news agency RIA Novosti, began overnight in what appeared to be a planned escape attempt.
Hostage Situation and Demands
According to Telegram news channel Baza, the standoff began when six inmates, some facing terrorism charges, broke the bars on their cells and took the head of operations and a junior inspector hostage.
The hostage-takers reportedly had weapons, Islamic State flags, and communication equipment.
Three of the men awaiting trial for allegedly planning a terrorist attack last year had recruited three other inmates for the jailbreak, which was thoroughly planned, said Telegram channel Shot.
The hostage-takers released video footage of the crisis, featuring a bearded man holding a knife and declaring, “Islamic State mujahideen have taken over the centre.”
They demanded a car, weapons, and safe passage out of Russia, Baza reported.
The building was stormed by National Guard and secret service operatives in an operation that lasted just three minutes on Sunday morning, according to Baza.
Three of the hostage-takers were reportedly killed immediately, while the other three died before emergency services arrived.
One of the hostages sustained minor injuries but is not believed to be in danger.
