BESLAN, Russia - Commandos stormed a school Friday in southern Russia and battled separatist rebels holding 1,200 hostages, as crying children, some naked and covered in blood, fled through explosions and gunfire. An official said the death toll could be significantly higher than 150.

Hours after the midday assault, three of the separatist rebels were reportedly still blockaded in a school basement, trading fire with security forces. A Federal Security Service official said militants were still holding hostages children among them.

The school was largely secured late Friday afternoon, but a large explosion erupted from inside toward nightfall, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported. A member of an elite security unit died saving two young girls, the agency reported.

Valery Andreyev, the top Federal Security Service official in the region, said 20 militants were killed, including 10 Arabs. The Arab presence among the attackers would support President Vladimir Putin's contention that al-Qaida terrorists were involved in the Chechen conflict, where Muslim fighters have been fighting Russian forces in a brutal a war of independence for most of the past decade.

It's not surprising that Arabs were found in that school. Chechnya has a significant Sufi tradition, from which Al Qaeda style terrorism does not easily grow. Bin Ladenism turns even the best cause into a fascistic jihad.

Hundreds of children were wounded. Many were probably killed, too, but there isn't a count yet.

It's tempting to blame Russia for heavy-handed tactics here. The last time they rescued hundreds of hostages in a Moscow theater they ended up killing scores of them in the process. It's a horrible calculus. Every hostage was at risk if the Russians did not meet the Chechen demands. And a slower, more orderly assault isn't possible when the terrorists wish to be martyred. It's possible, although of course we really don't know, that this was the best possible outcome.

Snottlebocket

Netherlands

March 2004

SEP 03, 2004 10:34 AM

they just said in the news that not only are hundreds dead but also a whole cadre of the terrorists managed to escape and is on their way to a different city still packed with weapons and explosives.

Gnarface_Killah

Denver, CO

January 2004

SEP 03, 2004 10:50 AM

Good Job Russia. Instead of talking to the terrorist go right in and get lil kids murdered and take it out on the people of Chechnya later

I do not support the type of people who would kill little children but I thought the Russian Governtment would learn from their past mistakes at the Moscow theater but of course they didn't

[Edited on Sep 03, 2004 by rockymtn_mike]

FreakPirate

Canada

November 2002

SEP 03, 2004 10:54 AM

Dear Russia and Chechnya,
Right at this moment, I don't care about your politics. I don't care about your race, religion or history. Right now all I can feel is a deep disgust towards both of you. Innocent children are dead. I hope that somehow you all smarten the fuck up so this NEVER happens again.

Hethral

Richmond, BC

April 2004

SEP 03, 2004 10:55 AM

Dealing with hostage takers doesn't work, all it does is show any lunatic that they can get what they want by killing a few innocents and threatening more.

As much as it sucks, the policy of killing everyone who tries taking hostages is the only way to put an end to attacks like this.

luckyride

Portland, OR

May 2003

SEP 03, 2004 10:59 AM

Hethral said:
As much as it sucks, the policy of killing everyone who tries taking hostages is the only way to put an end to attacks like this.

cause it sure works! just look at the moscow theater...they killed a bunch of people and now nobody takes hostages anymore...oh wait...