MOSCOW, Sept. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 332 children have been hospitalized following Friday's hostage-rescuing operation in the southern Russian school, Interfax news agency reported.

    The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said some 646 people were injured in the tragedy, according to Itar-Tass news agency.

    Of those killed in the operation carried out by Russian specialforces to rescue hostages taken by armed militants for over two days in North Ossetian republic, 79 have been identified, head of local security service Valery Andreyev said.

    Earlier reports said at least 100 bodies were found in the gymnasium of the school which have been held by armed militants since Wednesday but the death toll may hit over 150.

    An explosion ripped a school facility Friday evening.

    Russian troops are fighting at the school area as hostage-takers may still hold people inside the building.

    Aslanbek Aslakhanov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's advisor,has said that the number of hostages may reach over 1,200 and 70 percent of them were children. Enditem