Terrorist attack on school

200 schoolchildren taken hostage by Chechen terrorists A group of Chechen terrorists carrying guns and wearing explosive belts were seen entering a school in North Ossetia, where they have taken around 200 schoolchildren, teachers and some parents as hostages.

The attack on the school is reported to have caused some victims. At present there are two versions - a firefight between the terrorists and the security forces and another, that the terrorists opened fire on a group of teachers.

The school is School Number 1 in the city of Beslan, North Ossetia, a Republic in the Caucasus which borders on Chechnya itself.

Between 17 and 30 terrorists are reported to have entered the school. At present there are ongoing negotiations to release the children, who have their first day at school ruined in this way by these terrorists.

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey