An Interior Ministry officer looks through the scope of his gun as he watches a seized school in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 2, 2004. About two dozen militants with bombs strapped to them seized the school Sept. 1, threatening to blow it up if Russian forces moved in on them.
A special forces soldier carries a baby as a woman follows carrying a child released by militants in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 2, 2004. Militants holding hundreds of hostages at the school released at least 26 women and children during the day.
A local woman walks past Interior Ministry soldiers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 2, 2004.
A Russian soldier uses optics as he looks at the seized school in Beslan, Northern Ossetia, Sept. 2, 2004.
Woman and child (center) are escorted by soldier after being released by hostage takers during the school siege in Beslan, North Ossetia, southern Russia, Sept. 2, 2004.
Ossetian women wait for news in Beslan, Northern Ossetia, Sept. 2, 2004.
Police officers take cover behind their car as they man a position near the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia, Sept. 1, 2004.
Women, no names available, cry as they stand near the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia, Sept. 1, 2004.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a meeting with the heads of Russia's Interior Ministry and Federal Security Service, upon arrival at Vnukovo airport in Moscow, Sept. 1, 2004. Putin interrupted his working holiday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi and returned to Moscow.
Soldiers and rescuers are seen in a yard nearby the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 1, 2004.
A Russian soldier sits in a truck not far from the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 1, 2004.
Special forces soldiers surround a school which was seized by attackers in the town of Beslan, North Ossetia, a republic that borders warring Chechnya, Sept. 1, 2004.
A sniper watches the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 1, 2004.
Ossetian women sit waiting for news not far from the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 1, 2004.
Russian soldiers sit on APC not far from the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 1, 2004.
A local resident waits for news as she stands not far from the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 1, 2004.
Russian soldiers rescue an unidentified child in North Ossetia, Sept. 1, 2004.
People stand not far from the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 1, 2004, in this image from television.
A school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Sept. 1, 2004, is seen in this image taken from television.
Special forces soldiers surround the seized school, Sept. 1, 2004.