Georgia |
Chechenia |
Posted on 08/25/2002 11:20:05 AM PDT by HAL9000
TBILISI (AFP) - Georgia gave its first military riposte to Russian claims that Georgia was dragging its feet over dealing with Chechen rebels holed up in its Pankisi gorge, by announcing that it had sent 1,000 troops into the lawless abyss.Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze said the assault demonstrated the country's "strength."
"In accordance with my order, the interior ministry troops together with the MGB (ministry on national security, ex-KGB) entered Pankisi today," Shevardnadze announced on national television.
"Both (Georgian) Chechens and Georgians themselves asked us to move in the forces," said Shevardandze.
"We entered when we were asked for ... Today's operation in the (Pankisi) gorge is a demonstration of our strength," the Georgian leader said.
His comments were confirmed by defense officials.
"Just now, the interior ministry has started moving its troops into Pankisi," said Taata Gomelauri, the ministry's spokesman.
He added that 1,500 defense ministry troops, who were staging exercises in the region, could also shortly enter the region.
The defense ministry troops have been trained by US Green Beret military instructors who began arriving in the former Soviet republic as part of a 64-million-dollar deal in May.
Georgia's announcement, which could not be immediately confirmed on the ground, came just one day after the United States rebuked Russia for the first time since the September 11 terror strikes.
Washington's comments came in response to Tbilisi's claims that Russia -- in defiance of international conventions -- had bombed Georgian territory, killing at least one civilian.
"The United States regrets the loss of life and deplores the violation of Georgia's sovereignty," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said in a statement as US President George W. Bush made a fundraising trip here.
Georgia has accused Russia of violating its airspace on at least five previous occasions in recent weeks. Russia has rejected the accusation on each occasion.
Moscow has threatened to launch a military operation against the rebels who it claims are sheltering among the 7,000 refugees said to be living in the region.
Georgia said a week ago it was planning to send troops to clear out "criminal elements" in the Pankisi gorge, but Russia had said it doubted Tbilisi was serious.
"This is not the first such statement made by Georgia. Naturally Russia does not feel concerned," Interfax quoted Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov as saying as he visited the Siberian city of Novosibirsk this week.
| Georgia |
Chechenia |
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