Who attacked the Beslan school?
Chechen militants
Some three dozen Chechen militants took more than 1,200 people hostage at a school in Beslan, North Ossetia, on September 1, 2004. The drama ended days later after Russian forces stormed the school. The standoff and resulting battle saw 334 people killed, 186 of whom were children.
How did the Beslan school siege end?
The siege ended on the morning of September 3, when explosions inside the school prompted Russian special forces to enter the building. Many hostages were killed by explosions or in a subsequent fire in the gym. (The exact causes of these incidents were debated.)
What happened at Beslan?
On September 1, 2004, Chechen militants stormed an elementary school in the town of Beslan in the Russian republic of North Ossetia. They took 1,100 teachers, children, and their relatives hostage, demanding the withdrawal of federal forces from Chechnya as a condition for their release.
How do Russians deal with hostages?
The Russian government offered the hostage-takers the opportunity to leave for any country other than Russia or Chechnya if they released all hostages unharmed. The hostages made an appeal, possibly under orders or duress, for Putin to cease hostilities in Chechnya and asked him to refrain from assaulting the building.
Is Chechnya a part of Russia?
Despite a peace agreement that left Chechnya a de facto independent state, Chechnya remained officially part of Russia. In 1999, Yeltsin’s government ordered a second invasion of Chechnya after Russian authorities asserted that bombings in Moscow and other cities were linked to Chechen militants.
Why did the Beslan school shooting happen?
For the Chechens, the motive was revenge for the destruction of their homes and families; Beslan was one of the sites from which federal air raids were launched into Chechnya. Upon learning that many children were killed by a terrorist group that included Chechens, many Chechens felt shame.
Is Beslan in Chechnya?
Does Russia control Georgia?
Currently 20% of Georgia’s internationally recognized territory is under Russian military occupation.
Who won the Chechen war?
Chechnya within Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union Following long local resistance during the 1817–1864 Caucasian War, Imperial Russian forces defeated the Chechens and annexed their lands and deported thousands to the Middle East in the latter part of the 19th century.