Woman wounded in 2004 Belsan School siege dies

A woman hurt during the 2004 school hostage-taking in the southern Russian town of Beslan has died of her wounds, bringing the total death toll to 333, a Beslan activist said today.

Taisia Bziyeva-Dauyeva, 68, died last week in a hospital in the nearby regional capital Vladikavkaz, said Susanna Dudiyeva, head of the Beslan Mothers’ Committee.

Bziyeva-Dauyeva was held hostage for nearly three days along with her grandson and more than 1,100 children, parents and staff in the school's gymnasium by 31 heavily armed militants.

The seizure ended on September 3 when one of the militants’ explosive devices went off and security forces stormed the building.

The ensuing maelstrom of explosions and gunfire killed the vast majority of the victims, more than half were children; 11 special forces and emergency workers also died during the seizure.

Two other former hostages died of their wounds in August and December last year, which had brought the overall death toll to 332 – a figure that does not include the hostage-takers.

Survivors and victims’ relatives claim many deaths occurred because troops fired at the school from tanks and flame-throwers, setting off a fire that caused the roof to collapse over many wounded.

They blamed authorities for failing to properly investigate the circumstances of the attack and the bungled rescue operation.

Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, who claimed responsibility for the Beslan siege and other deadly terror attacks in Russia, was killed in an explosion last month.