July 2006 Crisis
The recent crisis started on July 22, 2006, when Kvitsiani rearmed his former militiamen and said, that he defied Georgia’s central authorities and would resist any attempt by the authorities to disarm his militia groups. Attempts to negotiate a surrender went in vain and the militiamen declined an ultimatum sent by the Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili. The government of Georgia dispatched, on July 25, a strong detachment of police and security forces to disarm the defiant paramilitary leader. Information coming from the gorge had largely been scarce and unconfirmed as the officials initially refused to make any comment. Later on July 25, Alexandre Lomaia, the Minister of Education and Science, confirmed, that the planned police operation was underway with the aim to restore constitutional order in the Kodori area. According to a Georgian Rustavi 2 television, the rebels have allegedly been supplied with food and munitions by the Abkhaz military and the Russian peacekeeper forces stationed in Abkhazia. Rustavi 2 also reported, that a helicopter of the Russian peacekeepers landed in the Militia-controlled area to provide rebels with food, but has failed to fly back as the Georgian side threatens to down it.
According to official accounts, governmental forces controlled most of the gorge as of late July 26, forcing the surrender of a number of rebels. Others, including Kvitsiani, hide out in the surrounding forests, several wounded and injured were reported on both sides. The death of a civilian in a shootout between the rebels and police was also confirmed. On July 27, Georgia's Defense Minister, Irakli Okruashvili, told in his televised interview, that the main phase of the operation had been successfully completed as most of the rebels had been surrendered or captured. He also said, that the revolt "was a provocation planned in a foreign country."
As of late July 28, all villages in the gorge are controlled by the government forces. A huge amount of weapons and munitions have also been discovered in the gorge. Kvitsiani, according to Georgian claims, managed to escape to Sukhumi, capital of Abkhazia.
Read more about this topic: 2006 Kodori Crisis
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