In Beslan, North Ossetia, Russian Federation, just a few kilometers from the border with Chechnya-Ingush, a terrorist commando took 1,127 adults and children and 59 teachers hostage during the school year-opening ceremony. The weapons and explosives had been brought in earlier during renovation work. After days of stalemate in negotiations, events escalated: perhaps an explosive device placed by the terrorists with duct tape on the wall of the gymnasium, crammed with hostages, broke free and exploded. Dozens of children ran for safety through the breach. The terrorists opened fire on the fleeing children. Russian special forces intervened, more explosives exploded, and the entire gymnasium collapsed. After 10 hours of fighting, the toll is terrible: 334 dead (about half of which were caused by the collapse of the gymnasium), including 186 children, 783 wounded, 31 terrorists killed, including 10 Arabs, 1 captured alive, at least 10 special forces men killed.
