Saturday marks 14 years since the Beslan school siege, in which Islamic extremists captured more than 1,100 people, most of them children, in the southern Russian Republic of North Ossetia, leading to more than 330 deaths, UrduPoint writes.
North Ossetia's authorities announced on Saturday the three-day mourning, commemorating the victims of the deadly attack.
Over 30 armed terrorists, including several women, led by Rasul Khachbarov (also known as Colonel) drove a canvas-covered truck into the courtyard of secondary school No.1 in the city of Beslan, in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania during celebrations dedicated to the start of the school year on September 1, 2004.
Armed men jumped out of the vehicle and immediately started firing automatic weapons over the heads of people in the courtyard, forcing the crowd into the school building. Only a lucky few managed to take advantage of the ensuing confusing and escape.
According to preliminary estimates, 354 hostages were taken. It turned out later that there were many more - 1,116. The vast majority of them were children, including pre-schoolers.
Casualties included 335 people, of whom 318 were hostages, including 186 children.
In total, as many as 810 hostages and residents of Beslan, as well as troops from the FSB, the Emergencies Ministry staff, and police and military officers were wounded.
In addition to wounds and injuries received during the assault, the hostages suffered from a severe psychological trauma. Over the more than 50 hours that the hostages spent in the school, the terrorists did not allow them any water, food or medicine.
A total of 1,315 people were recognized as affected by the attack in Beslan.
