Moscow hostage toll rises
2002-10-30 12:14
Moscow - Two hostages in the theatre siege have died in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 119, says Moscow chief
medical officer Andrei Seltsovsky.
Russian special forces stormed the Moscow theatre
where more than 800 people were being held by Chechen separatists early on Saturday, ending a 57-hour hostage crisis.
Nearly all the hostages died from the effects of a gas used by
troops to incapacitate the hostage-takers before the rescue raid.
Fifty Chechen hostage-takers were also killed, say Russian officials.
Hospital officials said on Tuesday that 245 people, including nine children, were still in hospital from the after-effects of
the gas. Sixteen of the former hostages are still in a critical
condition. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA