At least five prisoners were killed and three prison employees injured in a riot triggered by an attempted escape at a prison in Vahdat, a city in Tajikistan, two sources within the country's security agencies told Reuters on Tuesday.
Nine prisoners armed with homemade knives attacked guards.
At least five prisoners were killed and three prison employees injured in a riot triggered by an attempted escape at a prison in Vahdat, a city in Tajikistan, two sources within the country's security agencies told Reuters on Tuesday.
On Monday, nine prisoners armed with homemade knives attacked guards as part of their escape attempt from a penal colony located 20 km east of Dushanbe, according to the Ministry of Justice. The ministry reported that the prisoners attempted to kill the guards during the assault, resulting in three guards being seriously injured, though they are now in stable condition.
Among the injured was the prison's head of administration, who was taken to the hospital in serious condition, a source informed Reuters on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
Unverified footage shared on Telegram channels appeared to show the bodies of the deceased prisoners lying in pools of blood. One of the prisoners was reportedly wearing a hat featuring the flag of the Islamic State.
Andrei Serenko, a regional analyst, stated that Islamic State supporters were behind the escape attempt and briefly raised the group's flag over the prison.
Reuters also reported that a criminal investigation into the incident has been initiated.