Georgian officer killed in counter-terrorism op awarded Vakhtang Gorgasali medal
The family of the late Ivane Goladze, who would have turned 43 today, received the medal from Georgian PM Mamuka Bakhtadze. Photo: PM's office
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Georgian Special Operation Forces Officer Ivane Golashvili, who was killed in a counter terrorism operation in Tbilisi last year, was posthumously awarded the Vakhtang Gorgasali First Degree State Medal today.
The family of the late officer, who would have turned 43 today, received the medal today from Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze.
One suspected terrorist was arrested and three killed during a 22-hour-long counter terrorism operation on Gabriel Salosi Street in Tbilisi on 22 November last year.
While meeting with the wife of the late officer Tamuna Khelaia and his children Mariam and Giorgi, PM Bakhtadze emphasised Golashvili’s commitment and said that Georgia is proud of such heroes.
The Georgian officer who died in an anti-terror operation earlier this week has been buried in a poignant funeral service in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.
The United States will help Georgia investigate the case in which an anti-terror operation was held to neutralise suspected terrorists in Tbilisi last week.
Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office has charged the only surviving suspect of a large-scale anti-terror operation in Tbilisi for terrorist activities.
One suspected terrorist has been arrested and three killed during today’s anti-terrorist operation on Gabriel Salosi Street in Tbilisi, the State Security Service announced a short time ago. Nino Giorgobiani, press speaker of the State Security Service, described in a detailed statement how the operation was conducted and how many people were arrested.
The State Security Service of Georgia announced a short time ago that the special operation to arrest suspected terrorists in Tbilisi has officially ended. The officer from the Special Operations Forces, who wounded during the operation, died in hospital.
The Georgian government has adopted a National Counterterrorism Strategy. The strategy was developed by a permanent Interagency Commission comprised of different state authorities and chaired by the State Security Service.
The US Department of State Country Report on Terrorism 2020 says that ‘Georgia is generally capable of detecting, deterring, and responding to terrorism incidents.’ The report says that ‘Georgia continued its robust engagement across a range of counterterrorism issues in 2020,’ noting that no terrorist incidents took place in the country in 2020.