What’s Happening in Abkhazia (4-6 October)

One of the main topics for Russian news agency “Interfax” on October 4-5 were military actions in Abkhazia. The agency mostly uses information provided by de-facto government of the breakaway republic. It is remarkable that other major Russian agencies either do not publish this information or give rather limited data on the events.

According to “Interfax” agency, on October 3rd evening 400-500 men-strong Georgian-Chechen joint fighter group captured village Georgievskoe of Gulripshi region. As Sergei Shamba, foreign minister of unrecognized republic, has stated, Sukhumi government moved units of Abkhazian regular army and heavy artillery around the village. He said, that guerillas left the village when only after Abkhazians used artillery and battle armor. However, according to the information by Russian Internet newspaper “Gazeta.ru”, Sergei Yastrbzhemski, assistant to Russian President stated that fighters retreated from Georgievskoe on October 4 morning, before arrival of Abkhazian artillery and troops.

Deputy defense minister of Sukhumi government Viacheslav Ankvabi states that guerillas were acting with support and coordination from Georgian official structures. He mentioned, at time of the clashes Russian peace keeping troops have arrested 4 vehicles, carrying arms towards location of Georgian-Chechen units.

Commander of Russian collective peace support forces in the conflict zone, General-Major Nikolai Sidorevich stated that clashes near Georgievskoe village lasted for 8-9 hours. Due to these actions two checkpoints of the peace keeping forces were blocked, but communication with them was restored few hours later. Sidorevich informed that Russian PKF are on high alert.

In the morning, October 5, “Interfax” agency, based on Abkhazian defense minister Vladimir Mikanba distributed information that Chechen and Georgian fighters are retreating towards North to Russian border (Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachaevo-Cherkesia) chased by Abkhazian soldiers. Number of guerillas is still 400-500.

Foreign minister of self-declared republic Sergei Shamba informs, that as a result of clashes several guerillas and one Abkhaz soldier were killed. Two fighters were captured, one of them is Georgian and another is Russian citizen from North Caucasus. Shamba also said that large amount of arm and ammunition left behind by guerillas has been found in Georgievskoe village. As the minister says, the terrorists have taken into hostage several villagers, including one Russian citizen, ethnic Greek, who has arrived from Krasnodar region (Russia) to visit his mother in Georgievskoe (this information was not confirmed by Russian official sources).

Same day Mikanba informed Interfax that as captured terrorist say, “they were trained by Arab instructors in Pankisi gorge to invade Abkhazia”. Interfax put these words as a headline on its web page.

On October 4th head of the UN Mission to Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone Dieter Boden met Georgian State Minister Gia Arsenishvili. During the meeting Dieter Boden confirmed that there was a clash between Georgian-Chechen group and Abkhazian soldiers. However, Georgian side denied the information. As Malkhaz Kakabadze, Georgian Minister for Special Affairs, states, Georgian government possesses information that on October 3rd some shooting has taken place in lower Kodori gorge but casualties of the accident are unknown. Official Tbilisi has not confirmed facts of clashes between Georgian-Chechen and Abkhazian units so far.

Georgian mass media does confirm the clash but their information is being based on Russian sources as well. Only today Rustavi-2 TV has broadcasted interview with several Georgian partisans, who possess information about the fighting in general, but does not know exact details and outcomes.

On October 5th representative of Georgian Foreign Ministry informed journalists that another large-scale provocation is being prepared against Georgia in the territory, which is not under control of Georgian government. The provocation is coinciding with the period when President Shevardnadze is not in the country (President is visiting United States). The Ministry did not name openly the forces, which might be standing behind this provocation, but made rather clear hints towards Russia. The Ministry is doing its best to avoid further escalations, said Kakha Sikharulidze, Foreign Ministry’s spokesman.

Today Georgian news agency “Prime News” informed that Sukhumi government released new version of explanation of attack on Georgievskoe. Sergei Shamba stated that Georgians and Northern Caucasians were planning to advance towards Sochi city. Shamba said that this information has been given by captured fighters – two Georgians (Interfax says one Georgian) and one Chechen. In his interview to “Prime News” agency Shamba said that fighters wanted to incite panic in Sochi. Interfax is confirming this information, quoting prime minister of Sukhumi government Anri Jergenia. Jergenia said that 400 men-strong Chechen group was led by Chechen field commander Ruslan Gelaev. “They were planning to capture Tsebelda village, were they would have created base camp and then continue terrorist operations in direction of Sochi city” – says Jergenia.

Internet newspaper “gazetasng.ru” published position of Chechens themselves in regard of these attacks. Press center of the President of the Republic of Ichkeria states that rumors about presence of Chechen fighters on Abkhazian territory is, softly speaking, groundless. Information about defeat of 500 fully armed Chechens in 7-8 hours long fighting “gives as reason to assume, that Abkhazian as well as Russian decided to use “Chechen factor” for their interests”. Press center says, that if Abkhazian can handle Chechens better then Russians do, then Russian government should send them to Chechnya.

Press center states that Russian provocation about Georgian and Chechen intrusion to Abkhazia is aimed to one and only goal: engagement of Caucasus ethnicities into the mutual conflicts and discrediting of both Chechen national-liberation movement and Georgian independent foreign policy.