Georgia commemorates 24th anniversary of fall of Sokhumi

On this day 24 years ago hundreds of thousands of Georgians were forced to leave their homes in Sokhumi, the capital city of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region.

September 27, 1993 was the day when tens of thousands of people died, hundreds of thousands of people became internally displaced (IDPs) within their own homeland, and Tbilisi lost control over the Abkhazia region in north-western Georgia.

Geogrian IDPs cross the Zugdidi bridge to after they had to leave Sokhumi. Photo by Mike Goldwater

Today Georgia is remembering those who died in the fight for their homeland as the country marks the 24th anniversary of the fall of Sokhumi.

Georgian leaders and cabinet members laid wreaths at the memorial of heroes who died for their country at Heroes Square in capital Tbilisi and expressed condolences to the victims' families.

"September 27, 1993 marks one of the most tragic dates in the history of our country. 24 years have passed since the fall of Sokhumi. This day serves as a reminder of destructive and disastrous power of war", said Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

He stressed that this war caused an irreparable loss to Georgians and Abkhazians and that this was a fratricidal war with grave loss and occupied territories, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of people being displaced in their own homeland.

"This was a war against Georgians and Abkhazians. This was a war without a winner. We will always remember this war as the most severe experience for Georgians and Abkhazians".

A man in Ochamchire, Abkhazia tries to douse the flames after his house is hit in an Abkhazian rocket attack. Photo by Mike Goldwater

Kvirikashvili said that Georgia does its best not to repeat its mistakes from the past.

"The war divided us, but we are ready to turn a new page in relations with our brothers. We spare no effort to peacefully restore Georgia's territorial integrity, to restore the brotherhood and love that always linked Georgians and Abkhazians; restore the trust, lack of which will always preclude us from progressing”, he said.

"I would like to assure our Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers that we have a common future. Only through joining our efforts we will manage to build a country where our children will live in amity and prosperity. Together we can create a better country".

People climb on board a truck as Georgians abandon Ochamchire on the day after the fall of Sokhumi. Photo by Mike Goldwater

What happened 24 years ago?

On this day 24 years ago the capital city of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region collapsed as a result of a war that lasted 13 months and 13 days.

Armed conflict in Abkhazia began on August 14, 1992 when Georgia's Armed Forces, intending to defend the Sochi-Enguri section of the railway, were confronted by Abkhaz Gvardia [armed forces]. The Abkhazian militant group involved Russian soldiers and was created under the order of head of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia, Vladislav Ardzinba, near Okhurei Village in Ochamchire district.

In response, the State Council of Georgia decided to send the National Gvardia [soldier unit controlled by Tbilisi] to Abkhazia to challenge the militant group.

This confrontation sparked the beginning of hostilities in Abkhazia.

An internally displaced woman cries as she has to leave her home behind. Photo by Mike Goldwater

• See multimedia project: The Doomed Flight

On July 27, 1993 both sides agreed to the ‘Sochi Agreement on Ceasefire and Separation of Forces’ however about two months later, on September 16, 1993, the Abkhazian side violated the ceasefire deal and began an attack on Sokhumi.

The Abkhaz-Russian forces started their attack on the building of the Council of Ministers of Abkhazia in the morning of September 27, 1993. They captured and killed Chairman Zhiuli Shartava, Sokhumi Mayor Guram Gabeskiria and 27 employees of the Council of Ministers.

On the same day Sokhumi collapsed and the Georgian Armed Forces lost the fight. This was the end of the war.

A Georgian family crosses the Zugdidi bridge to relative safety following the fall of Sokhumi. Photo by Mike Goldwater

Data collected by the Georgian side revealed 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.

The global community recognises Abkhazia as an integral part of Georgia, while Russia treats the breakaway region as an 'independent state', which the rest of the world says that is a violation of international law.