Russian forces storm North Ossetian school; hundreds of casualties reported(Prague Watchdog) - This afternoon Russian forces stormed the school building in the North Ossetian town of Beslan where unknown terrorists took hundreds of children and adults hostage.
Russian forces managed to release many of the hostages who, according to original estimates, numbered 300 to 1500. However, at least two hundred died either during or after the attack and about seven hundred others - one third children - have been transported to hospitals.
Information about the high number of casualties emerged gradually and with some difficulty. Our Prague Watchdog correspondent was only able to speak briefly with a 15-year-old survivor of this drama who managed to escape from the school building. But as the boy began to describe that there were “many dead” inside, two men in civilian clothes, most likely police agents, suddenly appeared, silenced him and led him away from the journalist.
Representatives of the Russian crisis staff in charge of the anti-terrorist operation stated that the early attack had not been planned and their intent was to keep trying to negotiate with the terrorists. However, after blasts took place in the school and terrorists tried to prevent hostages from escaping, Russian forces attacked in order to save the children.
But it is not clear whether the explosions were caused by the terrorists or by the Russian task force who made openings in the school walls to help the hostages escape.
During the assault many terrorists managed to sneak out of the building so shootouts continued in various parts of town as Russian forces went in pursuit. It was only after 11 p.m. local time that the Russian crisis staff announced the terrorists resistance had been put down and that among the twenty terrorists killed, there had been 9 or 10 Arabs.
The terrorists had allegedly demanded the release of all persons detained in connection with a recent guerrilla attack on the Ingush town of Nazran; withdrawal of all Russian forces from Chechnya; and independence for Chechnya; yet their nationality and affiliation with any large group was unknown.
This terrorist act was condemned by the entire civilized world, and in the Chechen capital of Grozny people demonstrated for the release of the children. Political leaders of the separatist Chechen Republic of Ichkeria denied their involvement in the act and condemned it.
Prague Watchdog's North Caucasus correspondent Ruslan Isayev contributed to this report. (T/E)
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