The latest on the Russian school jihad, from AP:
BESLAN, Russia “” Commandos stormed a school in southern Russia where hundreds of hostages had been held for three days, and dozens of hostages fled the building, some bloodied and screaming.
Exchanges of gunfire rang out and a large plume of smoke rose over the school as troops clashed with the militants. Reports said some of the gunmen who had captured the building on Wednesday had escaped.
Russian authorities claimed to be in control of the building, but gunfire continued for more than an hour and hundreds of students and others apparently remained inside. Troops blew a hole into the wall of the school to help them escape, the ITAR-Tass news agency said.