Can someone please explain to me what happened in Beslan?

Question

I am familiar with the basic idea that chechen muslims massacred hundres of children, but why? Why target children? It breaks my heart and I am just looking for any information that isnt readily available. Some kind of insight into the 'reasons' would be helpful.

Answer 1

The Beslan school hostage crisis began when armed Muslim terrorists took more than 1200 school children and adults hostage on September 1, 2004, at School Number One in the Russian town of Beslan in North Ossetia.

On the third day of the standoff, gunfire broke out between the hostage-takers and Russian security forces. According to official data, 344 civilians were killed, 186 of them children, and hundreds more wounded.

Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev took responsibility for the hostage taking, reportedly led by his principal Ingush deputy Magomet Yevloyev.

The reason for any terrorist action is to weaken public support of the government. Civilians naturally would rather compromise and give in than fight. First there is outrage against the act, but later it turns to frustration that the problems linger. The same thing happens over Iraq and Afganistan. We will tolerate a war for just one election cycle, and then turn to the opposition. This has been going on for 20 years in Russia.