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Russian forces storm theatre, free hostages

Russian security forces on Saturday morning stormed Moscow's Palace of Culture and freed nearly 750 people, ending the world's biggest hostage drama.

Ninety hostages and 50 Chechen gunmen, including their leader Movsar Barayev, were killed in the operation.

The forces launched the operation at 0700 IST after explosions and gunfire were heard and it was learnt that the gunmen had started killing the captives, Russian Deputy Interior Minister Vladimir Vaislyev said.

"We managed to stop them from blowing the theatre up and avoided the mass death of hostages, including children," he said.

An official at the command centre handling the crisis said the rebels had killed two captives and wounded two after the expiry of the deadline for the acceptance of their demands. The rebels wanted an end to military operations in Chechnya and complete pullout of Russian troops from there.

One of the rebels posing as a journalist was arrested while he was trying to contact his comrades over the phone, the minister said.

Explosive devices inside the theatre were defused and security forces were in complete command of the building.

As the operation was launched, several hostages ran for their life.

An official said that there were no casualties among the special forces.

The theatre and surrounding areas were being searched for surviving rebels.

During the early stages of the assault, the troops injected sleeping gas into the theatre, state-controlled ORT TV reported.

The operation, which lasted a little more than one hour, began when all efforts to negotiate failed to materialise.

The rebels had broke into the theatre on Wednesday night during a performance of a popular musical Nord-Ost [North-East], and took around 900 to 1,000 people hostage.

They reportedly planted bombs inside and were themselves laced with explosives.

On Wednesday, they freed nearly 200 people while 15 were released on Friday.

They also killed a woman on Thursday as she tried to escape.

PTI

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