Georgia farewells soldiers who died in August war 2008

The identified partial remains were buried today at the Mukhatgverdi Cemetery of Unknown Soldiers – seven years after the short but deadly clash.
Agenda.ge, 02 Apr 2015 - 19:09, Tbilisi,Georgia

The remains of dozens of Georgian soldiers fallen in the five-day war between Russia and Georgia have finally been put to rest.

The identified partial remains were buried today at the Mukhatgverdi Cemetery of Unknown Soldiers – seven years after the short but deadly clash.

A solemn ceremony took place today where the partial remains of about 40 soldiers, identified by DNA analysis, were buried in front of family members and Georgian officials. The soldiers died while fighting for Georgia’s territorial integrity in the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008.

About 40 soldiers, identified by DNA analysis, were buried in front of family members and Georgian officials. Photo by President's Official website.

The identification process of the victims’ remains started in 2009 and ended several months ago.

The remains of the Georgian national hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze, who was killed during the hostilities in South Ossetia in the course of the Russia–Georgia war of August 2, was also laid to rest today.

"My son and I came here to finally say farewell,” said Antsukhelidze’s widowed wife Maka Chikviladze.

Antsukhelidze is the subject of two Internet videos which show him being interrogated and tortured by South Ossetian militants. Antsukhelidze was posthumously awarded the Order of National Hero by the Georgian Government in 2013.

Today, Georgia farewells soldiers who died in August war 2008. Photo by President's official website.

Meanwhile, President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili, Deputy Defence Minister Kakha Okrojanashvili were among the officials who attended today’s memorial ceremony to pay tribute to those who lost their lives while serving Georgia in the August war in 2008.

The Russia-Georgia war started on August 7, 2008, between the Georgian army and Ossetian separatists reinforced by Russian soldiers. Russia entered the war on August 8, however Georgia claimed Russia had entered Georgian territory in armored vehicles before this date.

After five days of conflict, 228 Georgian civilians, 170 soldiers and 14 police officers had lost their lives.

The Russia-Georgia war displaced 192,000 people. Many were able to return to their homes after the war but as of May 2014, more than 20,200 people remain displaced. Today they continued to live in small settlements built specifically for IDPs nearby Tbilisi.