On March 19, 1999, a terrorist attack took place in the central market of Vladikavkaz. It was Friday, there were many people in the market.
The terrorist attack was planned and organized by three members of the Ingush gang - Adam Tsurov, Abdurakhman Khutiev and Mahmud Temirbiev. The youngest Tsurov was 19 years old, his accomplices - 20. The terrorists brought three kilograms of TNT and ammonium nitrate from Chechnya. The criminals made the explosive themselves, filling the bomb with a grenade and marble chips. The bomb should have been triggered by a timer, which was also provided with a mechanism.
The place for the terrorist attack, according to operatives, was chosen by the Ingush Magomed Tsakiev. He recruited people into a criminal group whose purpose was to organize as many terrorist attacks as possible in North Ossetia.
At 10 o'clock in the morning, Magomed Tsakiev hid the bomb in the central part of the market. The terrorist approached Zarema Misikova, who was selling dairy products, and asked the woman to look after the sack. Tsakiev explained to Misikova that he had to go after the loader. But Tsakiev never returned to the market. The explosion occurred at 11:40 local time.
The blast wave was so powerful that the brick wall literally crumbled into sand. The roar was heard even by residents of the outskirts of Vladikavkaz. Parts of the bodies were mixed with vegetables and goods. In the memories of eyewitnesses - moments full of horror, death and pain.
As a result of the terrorist attack, 52 people were killed, about 200 people were injured. Two days later, all entertainment events were canceled in Russia, the TV channels changed their broadcasting schedule. March 21 was declared a day of national mourning. More than 300 people remained in hospitals with wounds of varying severity.
Boris Yeltsin apologized to the relatives and friends of the victims. The President also admitted his guilt in the tragedy: "I am responsible for everything."
Experienced and qualified law enforcement officers were selected to investigate the terrorist attack. The perpetrators, who were responsible for more than one terrorist attack, were found. On December 15, 2003, the gang members were sentenced in the Supreme Court of North Ossetia..The guilt of the defendants was proven.
Adam Tsurov received a life sentence in a special regime colony, his partners were sentenced to 23 years in prison. Magomed Tsakiev did not have time to hear his verdict - by that time the terrorist had already been killed as a result of the clash.
It was one of the many terrorist attacks carried out by Ingush gangs on the territory of North Ossetia.
