southern Russia have released some 30 women and children. The announcement was overshadowed by reports of at least two explosions around the school in the North Ossetian town of Beslan where up to 400 hostages, including dozens of Russian Christian children and at least two missionaries are held. Some deaths have been reported, but the exact number is unclear, the Voice of America (VOA) reported, citing several news sources.
The Associated Press (AP) news agency quoted Russian officials as saying that militants fired rocket-propelled grenades at two cars that got too close to the school. Although the cars were apparently not hit, the explosions added to anxiety among a crowd of hostages’ relatives, keeping vigil outside the school, news reports said.
But local official Lev Dzugayev called the release "the first success" and expressed hope for further progress in negotiations with the "between 15 and 24 militants" who were thought to be in the school, AP reported.
In statements however, the hostage-takers, made clear that any attempt to attack them would backfire saying they would "kill 50 children for every fighter killed."
NEW CONCERN
An official of the United States backed Russian Ministries organization, which is actively supporting the school, expressed concern about the situation and urged Christians around the world to pray for the children and everyone else inside, including two staff members.
"One of them is (the) coordinator for (the) region there and the other one is the pastor of the church there in (the school town of) Belsan," Sergey Rakhuba said. "And it happens that they are brothers by blood and by faith and their eight children are there, all of their children are there," he added in an interview monitored by BosNewsLife.
Russian Ministries, which sponsors three Evangelism and Church-Planting Centers in the volatile region, identified the brothers as Taymuraz Totiev, with five children and Sergey Totiev, with three children in the school. The organizations’ director, Genady Terkun, told reporters on the scene that the seizure overshadowed the dreams of children many of whom "were very excited about the beginning of school and happy because they had just returned from summer camps" organized by Russian Ministries "where they learned about Jesus."
Terkun stressed he personally knew many of the hostages. "We were able to distribute in this school, the Russian Christmas shoe boxes (with presents). I was there. I had dinner with these leaders and their children."
CHECHNYA REBELS
Russia’s government believes the militants have links to rebels in neighboring Chechnya fighting for ndependence and, some officials say, they are supported by fundamentalist Muslim terrorist networks such as the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden. The gunmen are also accused of involvement in a wave of violence in Russia, including the almost simultaneous downing of two passenger planes last week, killing 90 people. However rebel leaders have denied any involvement in the hostage drama.
On Tuesday, August 31, a suicide bomber blew herself up in central Moscow, taking nine lives with her own. Putin described the seizure as "horrifying because among the hostages are children" and because it could upset the delicate balance of religious and national groups in the turbulent Caucasus region, the Reuters news agency reported.
However as hours passed, the president was increasingly under pressure to break a long-held vow not to negotiate with what he calls "terrorists". "Their (the hostage-takers’) demands must be fulfilled, whatever they want. If they want to get away from here, they should be given a free way out," said Soslan Paguyev, whose daughter and some friends were among those held, in an nterview with Reuters.
SPECIAL MEDIATORS
News reports said the militants spoke by telephone in the morning with a well-known pediatrician, Lev Roshal, who also helped to negotiate the release of children during the deadly Moscow theater siege in 2002. In addition a Moscow-based Iranian journalist of Iran’s Al-Alam television was asked by Russian security forces to help in negotiations.
"They’ve told me they want me to do it. Of course, I am going to do it. I am just waiting for further instructions," the reporter, Abdallah Isa told Reuters by telephone from Beslan. There was concern about the health of hostages as militants had rejected offers to deliver food and water, Russian officials said.
Adding to the frustration were Interfax news agency reports that across the border in Chechnya itself, two Russian soldiers were killed and seven people were wounded when their convoy was blown up by a mine just south of the regional capital, Grozny. Russian Ministries and other Christian organizations such as HCJB World Radio have said they are trying to give spiritual support to people in the troubled region.
In a message Russian Ministries urged its supporters to "pray for the safe and quick release of the hostages" and "that the peace of God will rule in the hearts of His people who are in the midst of this crisis." They also asked prayers for "children who learned of Jesus (that they) will trust Him in every situation and be a light to all around them." "Ask God" the statement added, "to give wisdom to the leaders and authorities who are dealing with the hostage-takers."
