Policeman Dies in Shooting in Abkhaz Conflict Zone

One Georgian policeman was killed and three others injured last night after an unknown armed group opened fire on the checkpoint in the village of Shamgona, which is located in the Georgian-controlled territory of Abkhazian conflict zone in the Zugdidi district.

Officials alleged that the attackers could have been the same criminals who are engaged in smuggling across the administrative border between breakaway Abkhazia and rest of Georgia.

Gigi Ugulava, the Governor of Samegrelo region, which borders breakaway Abkhazia, said that smuggling has been reduced since the Georgian side reinforced checkpoints at the administrative border with Abkhazia.

?Despite this recent incident we are not going to step back; on the contrary, we will further reinforce these checkpoints,? Gigi Ugulava told Imedi television on January 31.

Special purpose units of the Georgian Interior Ministry were deployed in the Georgian villages that are located at the administrative border with breakaway Abkhazia to ensure security there, after an armed group raided Georgian village of Ganmukhuri on January 11.