Terrorist bus blast kills 9 in Russia

Moscow, Nov 6 (UNI) Altogether nine people were killed and 12 injured in a terrorist bus blast in the centre of Vladikavkaz, the capital of Russia's North Ossetia Republic, RIA Novosti news agency reported today quoting the local police.

Earlier, the Investigation Committee of the Russian Prosecutor General's Office said 11 people had died.

Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika has taken special control of the case, the agency reported.

A police source said the blast was probably caused by an explosive device outside the minibus. The North Ossetian President's press service said a suicide bomber could have detonated the explosive device.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an investigation into the blast. Criminal proceedings have been launched and an investigation is underway.

The North Ossetian authorities have declared Saturday, November 8, a day of mourning.

The terrorist attack is just one of a number of deadly explosions in the Caucasus region since the end of military confrontation in South Ossetia.

Last month seven peacekeepers were killed in South Ossetian capital, Tskhinval. South Ossetian authorities accused Georgia of organising terrorist acts on it territory.

UNI XC SB PK BST2120