Prison worker killed in hostage situation at Russian penal colony

Prisoners at a Russian maximum security penal colony killed at least one staff member and took others hostage, Russian state media reported Friday.

Graphic footage circulating on social media shows three uniformed prison staff members lying motionless in pools of blood, one with his throat slashed, at penal colony IK-19 in the town of Surovikino. A fourth staff member is seen on his knees in a doorway.

In another video the apparent hostage takers can be seen waving ISIS flags. CNN has not verified either footage and there has been no official confirmation of the attackers’ motives or identities.

Inmates captured the correctional facility staff at a disciplinary commission meeting, Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia told state media outlet TASS.

“At a meeting of the disciplinary commission (where cases of malicious violators are considered, among other things) of the colony, several prisoners seized employees,” the penitentiary service said, according to TASS.

At least three prisoners participated in the attack, according to TASS, and a rescue operation is underway.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been informed of the incident, state media outlet RIA Novosti reported.

The incident follows another hostage situation in Russia in June, when two employees of a pre-trial detention centre in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don were rescued after being held hostage for several hours by six detainees.

The detainees had links to ISIS and were killed in the operation. (CNN)

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