World News 03-09-2004 School Hostage Crisis Day Three who: Russian forces what: Storm Middle School Number One where: North Ossetia, Russia when: Yesterday snippet: LATEST: MASSIVE GUN BATTLE IN PROGRESS AT SCENE. CHILDREN FLEEING. MORE TO COME. "The Kremlin yesterday adopted a delicate approach to the hostage crisis in southern Russia," says The Guardian, "as it attempted to square its fierce anti-terrorist rhetoric with the need to pander to a nation desperate for a bloodless resolution." 32 women and infants were released from Middle School Number One in the small town of Beslan in North Ossetia, says The Scotsman, where more than 300 people - many of them children under the age of 14 - have been held hostage since Wednesday, possibly by Chechen separatists or an al-Qaeda-backed group. Whoever they are, the release of the hostages was their only indication of mercy. The gang of 40 men and women refused to allow food to be delivered to the children and "signalled their deadly intent" by "shooting sporadically and firing rocket-propelled grenades at two cars that drove too close," writes Ian Johnston. "Our main task is to save the life and health of those who have ended up as hostages," says Mr Putin, quoted in The Financial Times, indicating that an armed attack on the school had been ruled out in the short term. "All the actions of our forces... will be devoted to solving this task." [... more]

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