25 years pass since loss of control of occupied Abkhazia
More than 250,000 Georgians became internally displaced or refugees due to the armed conflict in Georgia’s Abkhazia region: Photo: Mike Goldwater.
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On this day 25 years ago hundreds of thousands of Georgians were forced to leave their homes in Georgia's western breakaway Abkhazia region, thousands of people died and Tbilisi lost control of Abkhazia region.
The armed conflict lasted 13 months and 13 days.
Photo: Mike Goldwater.
Armed conflict in Abkhazia began on 14 August 1992 when Georgia's Armed Forces, intending to defend the Sochi-Enguri section of the railway, were confronted by Abkhaz Gvardia [armed forces].
The Abkhaz militant group involved Russian soldiers and was 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 decided to send the National Gvardia [another soldier unit controlled by Tbilisi] to Abkhazia to challenge the militant group.
Photo: Mike Goldwater.
This confrontation sparked the beginning of hostilities in Abkhazia.
On 27 July 1993 both sides agreed to the ‘Sochi Agreement on Ceasefire and Separation of Forces’ however about two months later, on September 16, 1993, the Abkhaz violated the ceasefire agreement 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.
Photo: Mike Goldwater.
On the same day Sokhumi collapsed and the Georgian Armed Forces lost the fight. This was the end of the war.
Due to the conflict:
- Between 13,000 to 20,000 ethnic Georgians and approximately 3,000 Abkhaz have been reported killed, more than 250,000 Georgians became internally displaced or refugees and about 2,000 are considered missing.
- Among the missing about 1,500 are ethnic Georgians, up to 200 are ethnic Abkhaz and about 100 are ethnic Ossetians.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has appealed to anyone having information on people who went missing due to the 1992-1993 war in Abkhazia region and 2008
Russia-Georgia war to inform the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
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.
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Georgia is commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the Abkhazia war, which after the clash saw Abkhazia become a breakaway region of Georgia.
Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze opened his address to the 73rd UN General Assembly in New York yesterday by talking about the Russian occupation of Abkhazia.
The Moldovan border service did not allow the representatives of the so-called government of Georgian Abkhazia region enter the Chisinau airport, Russian and Moldovan media have reported today.
Airbnb has e to remove listings in Georgia’s regions of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and Abkhazia, occupied by Russia.
Residents of Georgia’s occupied region of Abkhazia region brought 53-year-old deceased Gocha Tupuria near the Otobaia-Orsantia bridge earlier today for his relatives standing on the other side of the bridge to mourm, as they were deprived of the right to enter the occupied territory, Radio Atinati reports.
The so-called parliament of Georgia’s occupied region of Abkhazia has passed a bill in its first reading which strips a group of Georgian citizens of their right to receive their inheritance in the region.
The legitimate Government of Abkhazia, which is in exile in Tbilisi, will now be headed by Ruslan Abashidze, replacing Vakhtang Kolbaia. Abashidze was the First Deputy State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia since January 2019.
The Georgian national flag is flying at half-mast today as 28 years ago on September 27 Georgia lost control over the region of Abkhazia, which is currently occupied by Russia. Paying tribute to the victims of the armed conflict, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said he believes the ‘Georgian government will be able to overcome the severe consequences of the war and will work for the common future, peace and prosperity of the Abkhaz and Georgian people’.