Today Russian special troops launched operation to release the hostages captured and kept by terrorists in a school in Beslan town in Northern Ossetia. As reported by Utro Russian electronic newspaper, everything began with an agreement to convey the bodies of the victims. A car was driven close to the building. To all appearances the fighters decided to use it to cut their way out. As reported by Echo of Moscow radio station, a group of schoolchildren managed to flee. Maybe this was the cause why skirmish started. There are casualties already. Security service officers are evacuating relatives of those kept in the school and journalists. Columns of smoke are seen over the school. It should be reminded that there are five Armenians among the hostages kept in the school, one of which is a first-form pupil.