Report: Abkhaz troops pushing Georgians from gorge

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

MOSCOW: The Interfax news agency says troops in separatist Abkhazia have started an operation to push Georgian forces out of the northern Kodori Gorge.

The reported operation in the western province comes as Russian troops pressed into neighboring Georgia in an escalating conflict that started last week over another breakaway Georgian province to the east, South Ossetia.

The Interfax report cited the Abkhaz defense headquarters as saying the operation started early Tuesday to push Georgian troops out of the northern part of the Kodori Gorge, the only area of Abkhazia still under Georgian control.



Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/12/europe/EU-Georgia-Abkhazia.php

[Freddie Stubbs]

1. But have they found Sirius Black?

:shrug:

[Muttocracy]

2. they have their own military force too? nt

[daleo]

3. Probably paramilitary, like the Kurds in Iraq

And no doubt getting help from the Russians. But people in that part of the world seem to be formidable fighters, even without the formal trappings of a state military.

[maddezmom]

4. looks like it

I know wiki isn't alway accurate, but it's quick and gives an overview:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Abkhazia#Land_forces

[14thColony]

5. Small, but well trained and motivated

They even have armor, artillery, and engineers. The last time Georgia invaded, the Abkhaz forces put up one hell of a defense.

[DeltaLitProf]

6. Prediction:

Georgia's idiot president will order that the civilians of Abkhaz be fired on. When it happens, US media will again ignore it and condemn Russian aggression.

[Megahurtz]

10. Of course.

Since the U.S. and Israel are behind this anyway. Like they think nobody will find out. :eyes:

[maddezmom]

7. Dozens of Russian vehicles head toward key gorge- Tuesday afternoon

Dozens of Russian vehicles head toward key gorge
31 minutes ago

ZUGDIDI, Georgia (AP) — An Associated Press reporter has seen 135 Russian military vehicles, including tanks, driving toward a key gorge held by Georgian forces.

The northern part of the Kodori Gorge is the only part of the separatist region of Abkhazia still held by Georgian forces, but they have come under attack.

Georgia says Russian troops are attacking, but Abkhazian officials say their own forces are carrying out the artillery attacks and that Russian forces are not involved.

An Associated Press reporter in Georgia on the road between the gorge and the Georgian town of Zugdidi on Tuesday afternoon counted 135 Russian military vehicles. They included tanks, armored personnel carriers and three pieces of artillery.

more:http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gDNLWfQWKrQc48pITBUg9KT_6oVwD92GONS83

[maddezmom]

8. Abkhaz push out Georgian forces from disputed gorge

Abkhaz push out Georgian forces from disputed gorge 12 Aug 2008 16:55:27 GMT
~snip~

"Units from the Abkhaz military have completed an operation to push out the Georgian army... from the upper part of the Kodori gorge," a spokesman for the Abkhazia's self-styled president, Sergei Bagapsh, was quoted by Interfax as saying.

more;http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LC648068.htm

[amandabeech]

9. No mention of Russians--just Abkhasians.

Perhaps that provisional ceasefire will require the agreement of the Abkhasians and the S. Ossetians, as well as the Georgians and the Russians.

Or perhaps this push is an attempt to gain territory before a real cease fire takes hold. Possession is 9/10 of the law?