Beslan School Seige

On Wednesday 1st September, students across the globe were stunned by the events unfolding in Beslan, North Ossetia, where over 1000 students were held hostage by Chechen Rebels. A week later, the siege has ended but the tragedy continues to have an impact on the international community as both Russia's pleas for help and the death tolls rise.

The shock has faded, the fear has subsided, but still the world seems to have questions about the attack: what exactly happened in the gym over those grim three days? And how did the Russian government let this happen?

Although a number of contradictory reports exist on the internet, statistics issued by the Russian television station "Rossia" show 335 fatalities to date – 156 of which may have been children. However, with 540 hospitalized and 200 wounded it is unsure whether this figure will climb again.

by Emma, of Guthlaxton College