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Serious incident between Georgia and South Ossetia (Maj2)

EUMM observer on patrol in Gremiskhevi - archive (Credit: EUMM Georgia)

(BRUSSELS2) Several young adults, "left to pick plants" near the demarcation line with South Ossetia, in the district of Sachkhere, were taken to task today (Wednesday 18 May) by the South- Ossetians. They fled while the latter sought to apprehend them. But South Ossetian forces fired. One of them, aged 17, was seriously injured, and remains hospitalized - according to the Georgian authorities - in a serious situation. Another was more lightly injured. However, four other adults were taken prisoner and are currently being held by South Ossetian forces.

For the Georgian government, which has just made a statement, this is a " serious violation of the ceasefire ". It directly implicates Russia “ which thus pursues a policy aimed at destabilizing and terrorizing the local population " and " seeks to escalate tensions ". This is the most serious incident since March 2009.

No official comment has yet been made by the European observers present on the spot (EUMM Georgia). But they do not normally have access to South Ossetian territory. And it will probably be necessary to go through Russian mediation to obtain an unblocking of the situation.

(update) " We are in the process of verifying the circumstances of this incident. we say to EUMM. " There are conflicting reports. And we won't comment until we know more. A local EUMM patrol, from the Gori base, accompanied by a mission official went to the site on Wednesday to speak to residents and seek to speak to those involved in the incident. to know the circumstances. And an ad hoc meeting was held Thursday in Dvani within the framework of the IPRM (the conflict resolution body), with Georgian, Russian and South Ossetian representatives. On this occasion, the 4 Georgians detained during the incident, as well as another detainee a few days earlier were released, confirmed an EUMM spokesman. But the condition of the injured remains critical, regretted EUMM which condemned this incident.

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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