About 10,000 Commemorated Victims Of Beslan Hostage Crisis On Sunday-Tuesday - Authorities

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About 10,000 Commemorated Victims of Beslan Hostage Crisis on Sunday-Tuesday - Authorities

PYATIGORSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th September, 2019) Around 10,000 people commemorated victims of the terror attack in the North Ossetian city of Beslan on Sunday-Tuesday, which marked the 15th anniversary of the school hostage crisis, the city administration told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"Within three days, the mourning events have been attended by about 10,000 people. Today, 5,000 people have taken part in that. On the first day some 3,000 people," the administration said.

According to the North Ossetian government, the victims were also commemorated by the authorities, religious figures and public organizations.

"In the morning, Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alania held a Divine Liturgy in the destroyed gym hall of the Beslan school one. At 1:05 p.m. [10:05 GMT] two bells sounded, at the time when 15 years ago the first explosion sounded in it, then a minute of silence was announced," the regional government said.

The Names of the victims were read under the countdown of a metronome over the cemetery.

"Beslan's schoolchildren released into the sky white balls, whose number symbolized the number of victims of the terror attack. Participants of the mourning events laid flowers at the Tree of Sorrow and a monument to special forces officers, who were killed during the hostages' release," the authorities added.

The terror attack on the school in Beslan started on September 1, 2004. Over 30 terrorists seized the school in the morning, when the children gathered in the yard to mark the start of the school year. The perpetrators forced the schoolchildren and their families, a total of more than 1,000 people, into the school gym. The victims were held hostage there for three days, without food or water. Overall, the attack claimed lives of 334 people, including 318 hostages, 186 of whom were children.