RE: Chechens threaten to kill 700 hostages in Moscow theatre
Russian hostage drama continues, one captive killed:
Heavily armed Chechen rebels, holding nearly 800 people hostage in a theatre in Moscow, shot dead one of them on Thursday night, even as negotiations continued to end the standoff.
Itar Tass news agency said the gunmen shot dead a woman and refused to release more hostages till their demands of a complete halt on military operations in Chechnya and total pullout of Russian troops were met.
President Vladimir Putin condemned the siege as a major terrorist attack. “This is the largest hostage taking not only in Russia, but also abroad,” said Putin, who cancelled his foreign trips to deal with the situation.
Around 40 rebels, including women, armed with automatic weapons, grenades, belts with explosives attached, mines and canisters with gasoline, stormed the theatre during a popular musical show on Wednesday night, taking the audience, including 62 foreigners, hostage.
Among the hostages were Americans, Britons, Dutch and Germans. There was no Indian.
A pro-rebel Web site said the attackers had given a seven-day deadline to Russia to fulfil their demands, failing which they would blow up the building.
The rebels overnight released 180 hostages, including 24 children and two pregnant women. Five more were released on Thursday afternoon shortly after four mediators holding white flags entered the building and began talks
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