Prisoners claiming to be ISIS operatives stage deadly attack on guards in Russian penal colony

Knife-wielding prisoners identifying themselves as Islamic State operatives staged a bloody attack on guards in a Russian penal colony on Friday and seized hostages, according to state media and news outlets with ties to the security services.

A video posted by one of the news channels, Mash, shows at least two attackers. One of them shouted that they were “mujahideen” of the terrorist group Islamic State and had seized control of the prison in the Volgograd region.

At least four uniformed prison officials can be seen lying or sitting in pools of blood. Three are lying motionless, one with his throat cut. Another is sitting upright in a doorway, where a man with a knife is holding him by the neck.

Russia state media says at least one member of the prison staff has been killed, but the video suggests the death toll is almost certainly higher.

The prison service says in a statement: “During a session of a disciplinary commission, convicts took staff of the penal institution as hostages. Measures are currently being taken to free the hostages. There are casualties.”

The prison is designated as a “harsh regime” penal colony with capacity to hold up to 1,241 male prisoners.

News sites with security connections have published the names of up to four alleged attackers, identifying them as citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. There is no official confirmation.