Abkhaz Official Rules Out Entry of Rebel Militia from Upper Kodori

Chief of staff of the breakaway Abkhaz army Anatoly Zaitsev ruled out on July 27 the possibility of the infiltration of Kodori-based warlord Emzar Kvitsiani into Abkhaz-controlled territory.

Georgian government forces are currently hunting down Kvitsiani and his militiamen in upper Kodori Gorge, which is the only part of breakaway Abkhazia not under the secessionist authorities? control.

?We have deployed our checkpoints, with both border guards and Defense Ministry forces, on the entire perimeter of [the Abkhaz-controlled territories adjacent to upper Kodori Gorge]. They are reliably controlling the situation, and the entry of illegal armed groups from upper Kodori Gorge is ruled out,? Interfax news agency quoted Zaitsev as saying.

Georgian officials said on July 27 that they have warned the Abkhaz side not to provide any assistance to Kvitsiani?s militiamen nor to grant them safe entry into Abkhaz-controlled territory.

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