An independent overview of the situation in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, remains impossible to obtain, a day after a series of coordinated attacks by groups of armed militants. Russian officials say security forces in the southern republic successfully ended two hostage incidents on the morning of 14 October with no loss of life to civilians. It appears Russian forces have now regained control over most of the city. Many questions remain, however, including the identity of the assailants, how many were, in fact, killed, and how many of the dead and wounded were civilians.
