Russian army cleared over Beslan

Russian forces, who used flame-throwers during the Beslan school siege last year, will not face charges, a top Russian prosecutor has said.

Deputy Prosecutor General Vladimir Kolesnikov was sent to the southern region by President Vladimir Putin last month to investigate the tragedy.

Some of the victims’ relatives say most died because of the firepower used in the Russian assault on the school.

The hostage-taking raid by gunmen led to the deaths of 331 people.

So far, the trial of the allegedly sole surviving hostage-taker and a separate parliamentary inquiry – both ongoing – have failed to explain the chain of events during the three-day siege of School Number One in September, 2004.