On September 1, 2004, School Number One (SNO) in the town of Beslan, North Ossetia-Alania, an autonomous republic in the North Caucasus was on its first day of the school year. The Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance and Sabotage Battalion of Chechen Martyrs took over the school and 1,900 hostages while wiring the place with explosives.

By September 3 it was over and 186 children and over 100 adults were killed.