18 October 2005, 11:14
Numbers of casualties may be understated
The number of those killed in Nalchik may be seriously understated. A local journalist from Kabardino-Balkaria, Fatima Tisov, who works for AP, claims that "mortuaries accept no more bodies." The government refuses to give away bodies to relatives of the people, as it maintains that nearly all those killed are rebels.
Anas Pshikhachev, leader of the Spiritual Board of the Muslims of Kabardino-Balkaria, believes that official information about the numbers of those killed is seriously understated. "A neighbour of mine was among the hostages in the 3rd police department. He says that most hostages were shot dead at once. There were people in civilian clothes among the attackers. Hiding weapons under their clothing, they would penetrate the crowd and open fire," the Muslim leader told Versia newspaper.
"Victims began to be delivered to us between 9.30 am and 11.30 am. They were first brought by local residents and then delivered by ambulances. Two dead bodies of people killed in shooting were brought in at once, a woman and a police officer," says Nasan Shugushev, chief medical officer at city hospital No 1.
Nineteen people were admitted to this hospital on 13 October and all of them were conscious: 12 officers of law enforcement agencies and seven civilians, no children among them. They all had various wounds, mostly shrapnel and gunshot ones. Four men are in intensive care. They have serious wounds with their vital parts hurt. Other victims were brought to the 2nd and the republican hospitals.
Ninety-two rebels were killed as a result of an attack on the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, Nalchik, on 13 October, as Caucasian Knot's correspondent reported earlier. Different numbers of casualties among police officers and civilians are given so far. Thirty-five police officers were killed according to some sources, and 32 according to other sources. The number of killed civilians is nine, according to official information.
