US Embassy saddened by death of 4 Georgians while attempting to cross Enguri River from occupied Abkhazia
Georgian rescuers found the bodies of four individuals who were trying to cross onto territory controlled by the central government of Georgia from Russian-occupied Gali through the Enguri River yesterday. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge archive
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The United States Embassy in Georgia extends ‘heartfelt condolences’ to the family and friends of the Georgians who died yesterday attempting to cross the Enguri River to get from the Russian-occupied Abkhazia region to the Tbilisi-controlled territory.
Protection of human life demands continued joint cooperation by all sides in order to avert future tragedies such as yesterday’s drowning deaths. This heartbreaking situation reminds us all that every day for too many years, families have been forced to make unimaginable choices to be with the people they love, find medical care and education, or put food on the table”, the US Embassy said in its statement.
Noting that the US commitment to Georgia’s territorial integrity is unwavering, the embassy said ‘so is our commitment to the people suffering through this humanitarian crisis’.
"This heartbreaking situation reminds us all that every day for too many years, families have been forced to make unimaginable choices to be with the people they love"https://t.co/KuGU79DGpy
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) April 8, 2021
Two men and two women drowned in the Enguri River yesterday while trying to cross onto Tbilisi-controlled territory from the Gali district to purchase everyday items and medicines which are either absent or expensive in occupied Abkhazia.
Locals told journalists that the four were forced to enter the river after the Russia-backed occupying forces ran after them with dogs.
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Georgian citizens residing in the Russian-occupied regions face a number of restrictions from the de facto officials of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali including the closure of the so-called checkpoints connecting the regions with the rest of Georgia, causing security and humanitarian troubles.
Georgian Prime Minister Minister Irakli Garibashvili has responded to the recent death of four individuals from the country’s Russian-occupied Gali district and stated that the ‘occupation regime will definitely be held accountable for all its illegal actions in Georgia.’
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has stated that the Russian-controlled occupation forces are responsible for the death of individuals who drowned in the river of Enguri while trying to cross into Tbilisi-controlled territory from the Russian occupied Gali district of Georgia. The bodies of two 30 and 38-year old women and a 65-year-old man were found earlier today, while the husband of one of the deceased women is still missing.
“The tragic incident near the occupation line once again shows the real face of the Russian occupation… This is a great human tragedy for which the Russian Federation is held fully responsible”, said Georgian Reconciliation Minister Tea Akhvlediani while expressing her condolences over the tragic death of the three Georgian citizens.
Rescuers have found a body of a fourth individual who was trying to cross onto territory controlled by the central government of Georgia from Russian-occupied Gali through the Enguri River. The body was found on the banks of the river Enguri, in the village of Orsantia of Zugdidi Municipality.
Flags on all government buildings across Georgia and diplomatic missions abroad will be flying at half staff tomorrow because of the death of four individuals of the country’s Russian-occupied Gali district of Abkhazia.
Georgian national flags are flying at half-mast today at all government buildings across the country in mourning of four Georgian citizens who died attempting to cross the Enguri River to travel from Russian-occupied Abkhazia region to Tbilisi-controlled territory.
Starting April 19, the residents of Russian-occupied Georgian territories will have to take Covid-19 rapid tests instead of 5-day quarantine, announces the government of Georgia.
Chargé d’Affaires of the United States to the OSCE Courtney Austrian has expressed the ‘heartfelt condolences’ of the US to the family and friends of the four Georgians who died attempting to cross the Enguri River on April 7.
The United States has condemned the opening of polling stations in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions for the September 19 Duma elections of Russia, Spokesperson of the US Department of State Ned Price has tweeted. The Georgian Foreign Ministry has also condemned the move, stating that Russia ‘once again violated the international law’ and urged the international community to give a ‘due response’ to the country’s illegal activities in Georgia.