Posted on 09/03/2004 4:39:18 AM PDT by Grzegorz 246
BESLAN, Russia - Soldiers shepherded children, many of them wounded and only in their underwear, away from a school where militants had taken hundreds of people hostage in southern Russia, as explosions and gunfire were heard from the area.
The scene was chaotic and it wasn't clear what led to the latest gunfire or if a major assault underway to free the hundreds of hostages from the building. Armed soldiers were seen rushing toward the school, which was cordoned off and out of sight. The ITAR-Tass news agency said Russian troops had entered the school and were firing on militants fleeing the building.
The Interfax news agency said that the school's roof had collapsed and militants were shelling and firing from the building. It had earlier reported that a group of about 30 women and children broke out of the school.
Two helicopters hovered overhead and several wounded were taken from the scene, some bloodied and on stretchers. Many of the children were only partly clothed because of the stifling heat in the gymnasium where they had been held since the militants took the building.
On Wednesday, the militants had freed about 26 hostages, all women and children, and Russian officials had been in negotiations with the militants since they had seized the building Wednesday.
There were conflicting reports of the number of hostages, with official saying about 350 and people among a small group freed on Wednesday saying there were about 1,500.
Dear God,
Please keep the children safe and unharmed...
180 !? It's not possible. So all of them were wounded ?
I heard something about 20-30.
That's what MSNBC just said. 250 hostages wounded 180 of them children. There is still gun fire going on.
Where did you hear that?
MSNBC. They just reported 5 children are dead. Praise Allah.
Religeon of pieces.
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