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The 1st September 2004, saw the start of a terrifying ordeal for school number 1 in Beslan
north of Setie Russia. It was the first day of the school year. Traditionally called the
day of knowledge, and usually a time for celebration.
But that morning, a gang of 32 armed and masked terrorists arrived at the school, and stormed
the building.
Firing rifles into the air, they had forced 1200 adults and children into the school gymnasium.
Encircling them on the floor were bombs connected by cables. Bombs were taped to the walls and
suspended from the ceiling. They placed children along the windows to act as a human shield.
As anxious relatives waited outside, 20 of the men were taken from the gymnasium and
murdered. The terrorists would not allow they're bodies to be recovered.
A cordon of special troops surrounded the building, and terrorists warned that if any
of them were killed, 50 hostages would also die.
Day 2, and after intervention by Rusan Auschev, president of Igusetie, 26 hostages were released.
Mostly mothers and babies.
By this time, conditions for the hostages inside the school were intolerable. They had
had no food or water for 24hrs, and as the temperature soared inside the packed gymnasium,
many of the children began to faint.
SYNC Bomb exploding
Later that day, 2 rocket grenades were fired from inside the building, hitting a police
vehicle. There was no return fire, the risk of reprisal to the hostages was too great.
It was discovered that a Muslim Chechen nationalist group was behind the siege.
Day 3 and the terrorists agreed to let emergency workers in to retrieve the bodies of those
killed when the school was seized.
Minute's later explosions and gunfire were heard, and then children were seen running
from the school.
An explosion might have been triggered accidentally by one of the terrorists or by a gun shot
from a security forces sniper.
The terrorists started firing on they're fleeing captives, and special forces returning fire
then stormed the school.
Relatives, many of them armed, mingled with the troops and ran towards the buildings.
Many of them caught in the crossfire.
At the casualty station, the first survivors started to arrive, shocked and bewildered.
They were suffering from dehydration and exhaustion.
331 people died including 186 chilren. More than 700 were injured. The shooting continued
for hours, as the remaining terrorists were pursued. Only 1 was taken alive. President
Putin called for 2 days of national mourning for 3 of the darkest days in recent Russian
history.