Georgian Hostages Freed in Abkhazia

Reports say around 25 Georgians were released after one-day detention in breakaway Abkhazia.

Georgian side claims that the Abkhaz militia group carried out a mop-up operation in the village of Zemo Barghebi of Gali district in breakaway Abkhazia and abducted ethnic Georgians on April 7.

Hostages were released after the Georgian side’s categorical demand at the weekly quadripartite (Georgian and Abkhaz sides, CIS peacekeepers and UN observers) meeting in Chuburkhinji village of Gali district.

Security conditions in Gali district of Abkhazia, which is predominantly populated by the ethnic Georgians remains poor. The raid on the village of Zemo Barghebi was a latest in the series of continued assaults on ethnic Georgians in the Gali district.