21 years since fall of Sokhumi in Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia

It's been 21 years since the capital city of Georgia's breakaway region Abkhazia fell as a result of a war that lasted for 13 months and 13 days.

Armed conflict in Abkhazia started on August 14, 1992, when Georgia's Armed Forces intending to defend the Sochi-Ingiri railway part were confronted by the Abkhaz Gvardia (armed forces) who were created under the order of the Head of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia, Vladislav Ardzinba, near Okhurei village in Ochamchire district.

In response, the State Council of Georgia made the decision to send the National Gvardia in Abkhazia in accordance with the preliminary agreement made with Ardzinba.

This confrontation served as a reason for the outbreak of hostilities in Abkhazia. The war ended on September 27, 1993, when Sokhumi fell and Georgian Armed Forces lost the fight.

Earlier on September 16, the Abkhazian side violated the 27 July Sochi agreement on Ceasefire and Separation of Forces and began an attack on Sokhumi.

The Abkhaz-Russian forces started attack on the building of the Council of the Ministers of Abkhazia in the morning of September 27 and after capturing Chairman Zhiuli Shartava, Mayor of Sokhumi Guram Gabeskiria and 27 employees of the Council of Ministers, shot them all dead.

The Russian-Abkhaz joint armed forces took up positions alongside Enguri river on September 30. Since then the de-facto Abkhaz government celebrates the day of victory over Georgia and Independence Day of Abkhazia every year on September 30.

According to inconclusive data by the Georgian side, in 1992-1993 more than 10,000 Georgian soldiers and civilians died in Abkhazia while 300,000 people became internally displaced. The Abkhaz side reported 3,500 Abkhazians died and 2,000 were wounded in the conflict.