BESLAN SCHOOL HOSTAGE CRISIS

Jeff Hrusovsky

Standoff

Occurred on September 3rd 2004. Hostages held by Chechen Separatists. On Wednesday morning they took over 1,000 children and adults hostage.By Thursday they released 26 hostages but refused to allow food and water into the school.

Plight

Inside the school the hostages were crammed into a small gym.Around them the floor was scattered with mines and bombs connected by cables. Bombs were taped to the walls and suspended from the ceiling.

Flashpoint

Emergency workers enter the school to retrieve dead bodiesMinutes later gunfire and explosions were heard and a number of hostages escaped.After a second large explosion the roof caved in and hostages started to run.

Assault

Special forces stormed the school and the security cordon

Russian President Vladimir Putin later said the decision to go in was unplanned and taken after the attackers started shooting at children.

Russian commanders reported that their troops were in full control of the building, but the gunfire continued.

Escape

As troops moved in half naked and bloody children began running out of the school.

Those who were not seriously hurt were desperate for water.

hundreds of bodies many of them children were found in the debris of the school gym.

End

Some of the attackers reportedly fled south and took refuge in a nearby house, where they were surrounded by special forces and killed.

authorities later said special forces killed all but one of a total of 32 attackers

Several other attackers fled to the school's basement, where they were killed in a gunfight

Aftermath

Emergency workers looking through the debris of the burnt down gymnasium uncovered the remains of some of the hundreds of children and adults killed.

The siege left 331 people dead, including 186 children. More than 700 people were injured.

Quiz

• What was the total number on hostages taken?

• Name of the School it took place in?

• Who were the suspects?