Several Russian jets [supposedly 4] dropped bombs in Ilto and Pankisi gorges early morning on August 23. One person died and seven were wounded as a result. The one was the first victim of continuous Russian bombardments.
Since an armed clash between Russian soldiers and Chechen fighters at Itum-Kale, Chechnya, on July 29 the Russian aviation bombed Georgia’s Pankisi gorge and its neighboring territory for four times. “If the bombardments continue Georgia will be obliged to use all the potential to stop them”, Shevardnadze told the reporters on August 23.
Russia has been accusing Georgia of harboring Chechens in Pankisi gorge since the beginning of the second Chechen campaign. The recent wave of accusations came against the background of escalated confrontation of the Chechen guerrillas and the Russian federal troops. According to the Russian sources, the Chechen troops that are pressured by the federal troops use Georgia and Pankisi gorge in particular, as a fallback position to regroup and continue resistance.
Some of the Georgian officials have indicated that after the recent clash at Itum-Kale in Chechnya the Russian soldiers left the retreating Chechens no other way than to cross for Georgia, which was followed by the punitive air strikes. Russian Defense Minister Igor Ivanov was also quoted saying that Russia has the right to pursue Chechen terrorists in a same way that the U.S. pursues al Qaeda.
“It’s time that Russia quits hunting Georgian villages and if the Russian armed forces do not obey their President, it’s his [Putin’s] problem”, Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze stated after the bombardment. Current bombardments come as an embarrassment to the Georgian leadership that stated its intention to conduct a special military operation in Pankisi gorge by its Internal Troops.
The casualties would certainly further complicate uneasy Russo-Georgian relations. In response to the attacks Tbilisi citizens launched protests at the Russian embassy, while according to Russian news agency Interfax, Russian Defense Ministry denied its role in the bombardments.
