Two Die in Tskhinvali Blast

Two civilians died and four others were badly injured as a result of a blast which occurred in early hours on July 14 in breakaway South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali, the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee reported.

According to this report an explosive was installed on a tree near a house of Bala Bestauti, who is described as commander of special purpose unit of the Defense Ministry of the unrecognized republic.

This is a second explosion in Tskhinvali in a week. The first one killed Secretary of National Security Council of breakaway South Ossetia Oleg Albarov on July 9.

“Explosive [used on July 14] is similar to the one which was used against Oleg Albarov,” the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee reported.

Maj. Gen. Marat Kulakhmetov, Commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces stationed in the conflict zone, told RIA Novosti news agency that terrorist acts in Tskhinvali aim at destabilization of situation, “which is already very tense.”

The South Ossetian Press and Information Committee also noted that Bala Bestauti, who reportedly was a target of July 14 blast, was in a so called “black list” of South Ossetian officials published by the Georgian Interior Ministry last November.

The South Ossetian side blames Tbilisi of masterminding both of these blasts in Tskhinvali. Officials in Tbilisi deny accusations.

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