Breakaway Tskhinvali temporarily closes so-called border with Georgia

Grisha Balamatsarashvili was grazing cattle in the conflict zone when he was approached by armed Russian occupational forces. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Agenda.ge, 07 May 2016 - 12:15, Tbilisi,Georgia

Relatives living on opposite sides of the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) between Georgia’s breakaway Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) and the rest of Georgia will have no chance of visiting each other for the next two days.

De facto authorities of Tskhinvali region decided to close the so-called border tomorrow and not allow Georgian and Ossetian citizens to cross the line.

Russian media reported the Security Committee of breakaway Tskhinvali decided to close the "border” to "ensure security” during Victory Day celebrations marking the 71st anniversary of the end of World War II on May 9.

All the checkpoints at the ABL will remain closed from 9pm on May 8 to 7am on May 10.

De facto Tskinvali, which is recognised and supported by Russia, typically closed the ABL and prevented Georgian citizens from crossing it almost every time a major celebration took place either in Georgia or the breakaway region.