RuSoKaR
07-29-2004, 05:44 PM
MOSCOW (*******) - Georgian forces have shelled residential quarters of the capital of the breakaway region of South Ossetia wounding two people, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted local officials as saying on Friday.
Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili has made restoring central authority over all Georgian territory a priority but the South Ossetia region is resisting efforts to end its 12-year-old self-proclaimed independence.
A Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman denied the attack on Tskhinvali and in turn accused South Ossetians of shelling villages populated by ethnic Georgians loyal to the central government. Interfax quoted South Ossetian president Eduard Kokoity as saying that the attack involving artillery and mortars started around 1900 GMT on Thursday evening and lasted two hours.
Kokoity also told Interfax that Georgian forces shelled several villages in the region. He said that Georgian forces also tried to enter the northern fringes of Tskhinvali, but were stopped by local militia.
"The massive attack on Tskhinvali is a beginning of a well planned aggression by Georgia," Kokoity said.
Georgian Interior ministry spokesman Guram Danadze said Georgian forces did not attack targets in South Ossetia.
"Ossetians were first to fire at Georgian villages but we did not reply," he said. "Now it is all quiet."
© ******* 2004. All Rights Reserved.
is this the start of the second war? :roll:
Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili has made restoring central authority over all Georgian territory a priority but the South Ossetia region is resisting efforts to end its 12-year-old self-proclaimed independence.
A Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman denied the attack on Tskhinvali and in turn accused South Ossetians of shelling villages populated by ethnic Georgians loyal to the central government. Interfax quoted South Ossetian president Eduard Kokoity as saying that the attack involving artillery and mortars started around 1900 GMT on Thursday evening and lasted two hours.
Kokoity also told Interfax that Georgian forces shelled several villages in the region. He said that Georgian forces also tried to enter the northern fringes of Tskhinvali, but were stopped by local militia.
"The massive attack on Tskhinvali is a beginning of a well planned aggression by Georgia," Kokoity said.
Georgian Interior ministry spokesman Guram Danadze said Georgian forces did not attack targets in South Ossetia.
"Ossetians were first to fire at Georgian villages but we did not reply," he said. "Now it is all quiet."
© ******* 2004. All Rights Reserved.
is this the start of the second war? :roll: