‘Everyone in this town has lost someone’

THE killing of more than 320 children, parents and teachers during the bloody end to a 53-hour school siege left barely a family untouched in the small Russian town of Beslan.

Grief, anger and uncertainty mingled in the town after the bloodiest hostage crisis in decades ended on Friday with half-naked and wounded children dodging bullets as they fled and security forces stormed the school building.

“Everyone in this town has lost someone,” said Alan, looking for news of his sister who had been at the school. “What they say on television is a lie. There could be 600 dead.”