Rebels agree to release all 75 foreigners held in theatre
Chechen rebels holding around 600 hostages at a Moscow theatre have agreed to release all 75 foreigners they are holding captive.
Foreign embassies are being requested to send representatives to the scene to meet their freed citizens.
The hostages include Americans, Britons, Dutch, Australians, Austrians and Germans.
There are no immediate details on how the releases will proceed. The releases are to happen at 9am local time (6am Irish time), Interfax news agency reports.
Earlier on Friday, seven Russian men and women were released.
Officials also express hopes that the some 30 children also among the captives would be freed as well.
The band of as many as 50 heavily armed captors seized the theatre on Wednesday evening during a musical performance.
They are demanding Russian troops withdraw from the breakaway Chechnya province.
