Local Official Kidnapped in Gali

Officials in breakaway Abkhazia said head of the local election commission in the Gali district of the unrecognized republic, David Sigua, was abducted on February 3.

Five gunmen raided Sigua?s house in the town of Gali, which is populated by ethnic Georgians, and took him in the direction of the Georgian-controlled Zugdidi district, the Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress reported.

The abduction was a retaliation of the Georgian side for Sigua?s cooperation with the Abkhaz authorities, Foreign Minister of the breakaway region Sergey Shamba told Apsnipress.

The Georgian side has already denied any links to the abduction.

Several people have been reportedly abducted by unknown men in the Gali District in recent weeks. In most of the cases the kidnappers have demanded a ransom, according to Georgian media reports.

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