Nur-Pashi Kulayev

Nur-Pashi Kulayev
Born	Nur-Pashi Kulayev 1980 Russia
Disappeared	2006
Nationality	Russian

Nur-Pashi Kulayev (born 1980), a native of Nozhay-Yurtovsky District, Chechnya, is thought to be the sole survivor of the 32 hostage-takers in the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis, although Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev denied the claim, stating that one other escaped.

Kulayev was a 24-year-old unemployed carpenter at the time of the attack. His brother Han-Pashi Kulayev had formerly served as bodyguard for Basayev.

Han-Pashi (also known as 'Khan'), an avid scholar of the Koran, was the elder of Nur-Pashi's two brothers. He was drafted into the Russian Army in 1991 and served the standard two-year term. He later fought in the First Chechen War on the side of the Chechen rebels. During the Second Chechen War, Han-Pashi once again joined the ranks of the Chechen militants. In August 2001, he was shot in his right arm during a confrontation at an army checkpoint, and claims to have been tortured afterwards. The gunshot wound required his arm to be amputated. He was convicted of being a member of the Chechen militants, but was granted amnesty on 18 December 2001, after which he moved into an Ingush apartment with Nur-Pashi.

It has been suggested that Han-Pashi was still distraught and suicidal over the loss of his arm, and so joined ranks with those planning to assault Beslan, where he was armed with a pistol. It is claimed that Nur-Pashi tagged along to act as a bodyguard for his brother.

...
Wikipedia