28 years have passed since armed conflict in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia
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Twenty-eight years have passed since the armed conflict in Georgia’s Russia-occupied region of Abkhazia.
The Abkhaz war lasted 13 months and 13 days and ended with the loss of the capital of Abkhazia, Sokhumi, on September 27, 1993, which was preceded by negotiations between Georgia and Abkhazia with the mediation of Russia.
On July 27, 1993 the Sochi agreement was signed but Abkhaz forces violated the terms and opened fire while Georgian troops were withdrawing from the region.
More than 250,000 ethnic Georgians had to leave their homes in Abkhazia.
Thirteen bodies (of the people who went missing during the 1992-93 conflict) who were found back in 2017-2018 in Abkhazia region have been identified earlier this year. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Key facts about the conflict and the people missing
- The war in Abkhazia from 1992 to 1993 was fought between Georgian government forces for the most part, and Abkhaz separatist forces, Russian armed forces and North Caucasian militants. The separatists received support from thousands of North Caucasus and Cossack militants and from Russian forces stationed in and near Abkhazia.
- 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 2,352 are considered missing.
- Among the missing more than 1,500 are ethnic Georgians, up to 200 are ethnic Abkhazians and about 100 are ethnic Ossetians.
- 563 bodies have been identified and 191 of the 563 have been given to their families since 2013.
Monuments of Zhiuli Shartava and Guram Gabeskiria, former officials who were killed by Abkhaz separatist groups in 1993, will be placed in Tbilisi, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has stated earlier today.
On this day 26 years ago thousands of Georgians were forced to leave their homes in Georgia's western Russian-occupied Abkhazia region, thousands of people died and Tbilisi lost control of Abkhazia region.
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).
Today Georgia is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Abkhazia War, which ended with the area becoming a breakaway region of Georgia and leaving hundreds of thousands displaced.
The remains of 13 people who went missing during the 1992–93 armed conflict in Georgia’s Russia-occupied Abkhazia region have been identified and returned to their families. It was possible to identify the bodies of eight military servicemen and five civilians through the joint efforts of the Georgian State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The Georgian national flag is flying at half-mast today as 27 years ago on September 27 more than 250,000 Georgians were sent fleeing from their homes as Georgia lost control of the region of Abkhazia, which is currently occupied by Russia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday said peace was “the foundation upon which a united, strong and developed country should be built” together with the “Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers”, in comments marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of Sokhumi, the capital of the Russian-occupied north-western region of Abkhazia during the war in the region in 1993.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday highlighted there was “no alternative to peace”, in comments marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of Sokhumi, the capital of the Russian-occupied north-western region of Abkhazia during the war in the region in 1993.
The remains of 23 individuals who had been missing since the 1992-1993 armed conflict in Georgia’s now Russian-occupied Abkhazia region were handed over to their families on Wednesday, in the latest stage of the process involving the Government and the International Committee of the Red Cross.