Around 13,000 people attended three-day mourning events held in Russia’s Caucasus region of North Ossetia to mark the 20th anniv

Around 13,000 people attended three-day mourning events held in Russia’s Caucasus region of North Ossetia to mark the 20th anniversary of the Beslan school siege that claimed the lives of 334 people, most of them children. In 2004, terrorists held more than 1,200 people hostage without food and water for three days in Beslan’s School No.1. In memory of these tragic events, the school held a religious service. Portraits of victims have been put on display in the school’s gym, where the hostages were held by their captors. On Tuesday afternoon, a solemn procession marched from School No.1 to the City of Angels cemetery, where all the victims are buried. A total of 334 white balloons were launched into the sky. Participants also laid flowers at the Tree of Sorrow and at the monument to officers of the Alfa and Vympel special forces killed during the assault. Source: TASS Russian news agency