BRUSSELS, Sept 3 (AFP) - NATO on Friday condemned the hostage-taking in southern Russia where at least 100 people were killed following an assault by security forces and vowed to continue collaborating with Moscow to deal with the terror threat.
"Today I called Russian Defense minister Sergei Ivanov to express my condolences, and to express my profound sorrow for the suffering caused to the victims - including many children -- of this act of terrorism," NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a communique.
"NATO condemns this and all acts of terrorism, and will continue to work with Russia to combat this menace," he added.
More than 100 people were reportedly killed and hundreds wounded Friday as Russian special forces stormed a school to free scores of children and adults held hostage for almost three days by militants demanding independence for Chechnya.