Dozens killed in Caucasus
BBC Breaking news:
Video here
A number of police and rebels have been killed in fighting across a city in Russia's volatile North Caucasus area.
Civilians are also feared caught up in the clashes that spread to a school, airport and government buildings in Nalchik city, Kabardino-Balkaria.
A hospital source told Moscow radio there were 20 "uniformed" bodies.
Kabardino-Balkaria, near war-ravaged Chechnya, has been the scene of several confrontations between police and alleged Islamist extremists.
A police official told Itar-Tass news agency that a number of police and militants had been killed.
"We are checking the information about fatalities at police stations and possible victims among civilians," he said.
A source at Nalchik's Republican Hospital told Ekho Moskvy radio that the dead who had been brought in were "all people in uniform".
At least 40 injured people had been taken to the hospital, with more arriving all the time, the source added.
Frantic parents
Fighting broke out in the Belaya Rechka area early on Thursday and spread to several parts of the city.
A local Interior Ministry source told Itar-Tass that rebels launched a "carefully planned" simultaneous attack on police stations, Russia's security agency, military and drugs-control offices as well as the airport.
He said a security operation was under way across the city to track down and kill the militants.
"There was heavy fighting everywhere; attacks have been repelled; there have been fatalities and wounded; but part of the attackers has been destroyed and scattered," the official said.
The school caught up in the fighting is based near the local anti-terrorism unit, the Associated Press reported.
A teacher said all the pupils were evacuated. Parents searched frantically for their children in the school yard as black smoke billowed overhead.
Kavkaz version of events
Battles have erupted today in the morning on Thursday in capital of Kabardino-Balkariya. Occupational sources report that nearby 09:30 on local time on all power structures -- the Ministry of Internal Affairs of republic, FSB, army, police stations, and also on the airport, and hunting shop "Arsenal" and on a training work-farm were subjected by simultaneous attacks of Mujahideen. Explosions and firefights are hearable in the city.
The building of police station №2 in Nalchik is burning where there the center on struggle with so-called “extremism and criminal terrorism” is located.
Invaders report about possible capture of schools and kindergartens, but this information does not prove to be true.
Agency Regnum, referring to teachers of school of №5 in Nalchik, has said a clash took place in the building. Children had been evacuated, many have run up. Later on, a girl has run out from the building and said that the educational institution is seized by militants, and her brother still in the school. But the source in power structures has reported RIA Novosti that "hearings about capture of school are not contrary to fact". The school had been evacuated.
In a southwest part of Nalchik the teacher do not let out children from schools -- in streets the armed people open fire on defeat.
Battles have erupted in Nalchik with an attack on the airport. "The airport was protected with one of a company of military from Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation which have repelled attempt ", - the source in occupational structures reported.
Local channels do not report anything about the event, all news the local residents learn from news of the Moscow TV and radio.
The military commissariat of Kabardino-Balkariya has taken up all-round defense, reported the source in a staff of garrison of Nalchik. The municipal transportation in Nalchik, communication does not work.
One of base stations of mobile communication of "Megaphone" has been blown up in the city, RIA Novosti reported.
All flights in the airport of Nalchik are cancelled, "Interfax" agency reports referring to the press-service of Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.
The turned car lays in the center of Nalchik on a crossroads of streets of Lenin and Nogoma. Battles are contining also in area of Strelki on suburb of city.
Video here
A number of police and rebels have been killed in fighting across a city in Russia's volatile North Caucasus area.
Civilians are also feared caught up in the clashes that spread to a school, airport and government buildings in Nalchik city, Kabardino-Balkaria.
A hospital source told Moscow radio there were 20 "uniformed" bodies.
Kabardino-Balkaria, near war-ravaged Chechnya, has been the scene of several confrontations between police and alleged Islamist extremists.
A police official told Itar-Tass news agency that a number of police and militants had been killed.
"We are checking the information about fatalities at police stations and possible victims among civilians," he said.
A source at Nalchik's Republican Hospital told Ekho Moskvy radio that the dead who had been brought in were "all people in uniform".
At least 40 injured people had been taken to the hospital, with more arriving all the time, the source added.
Frantic parents
Fighting broke out in the Belaya Rechka area early on Thursday and spread to several parts of the city.
A local Interior Ministry source told Itar-Tass that rebels launched a "carefully planned" simultaneous attack on police stations, Russia's security agency, military and drugs-control offices as well as the airport.
He said a security operation was under way across the city to track down and kill the militants.
"There was heavy fighting everywhere; attacks have been repelled; there have been fatalities and wounded; but part of the attackers has been destroyed and scattered," the official said.
The school caught up in the fighting is based near the local anti-terrorism unit, the Associated Press reported.
A teacher said all the pupils were evacuated. Parents searched frantically for their children in the school yard as black smoke billowed overhead.
Kavkaz version of events
Battles have erupted today in the morning on Thursday in capital of Kabardino-Balkariya. Occupational sources report that nearby 09:30 on local time on all power structures -- the Ministry of Internal Affairs of republic, FSB, army, police stations, and also on the airport, and hunting shop "Arsenal" and on a training work-farm were subjected by simultaneous attacks of Mujahideen. Explosions and firefights are hearable in the city.
The building of police station №2 in Nalchik is burning where there the center on struggle with so-called “extremism and criminal terrorism” is located.
Invaders report about possible capture of schools and kindergartens, but this information does not prove to be true.
Agency Regnum, referring to teachers of school of №5 in Nalchik, has said a clash took place in the building. Children had been evacuated, many have run up. Later on, a girl has run out from the building and said that the educational institution is seized by militants, and her brother still in the school. But the source in power structures has reported RIA Novosti that "hearings about capture of school are not contrary to fact". The school had been evacuated.
In a southwest part of Nalchik the teacher do not let out children from schools -- in streets the armed people open fire on defeat.
Battles have erupted in Nalchik with an attack on the airport. "The airport was protected with one of a company of military from Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation which have repelled attempt ", - the source in occupational structures reported.
Local channels do not report anything about the event, all news the local residents learn from news of the Moscow TV and radio.
The military commissariat of Kabardino-Balkariya has taken up all-round defense, reported the source in a staff of garrison of Nalchik. The municipal transportation in Nalchik, communication does not work.
One of base stations of mobile communication of "Megaphone" has been blown up in the city, RIA Novosti reported.
All flights in the airport of Nalchik are cancelled, "Interfax" agency reports referring to the press-service of Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.
The turned car lays in the center of Nalchik on a crossroads of streets of Lenin and Nogoma. Battles are contining also in area of Strelki on suburb of city.
posted by Subrosa at Thursday, October 13, 2005
