State Department Report on Terrorism hails Georgia as “strong” security partner for US

The report noted the terrorism situation in Georgia in 2021 remained “quiet and stable”, with the Georgian authorities taking “further action” to secure the country’s borders and arresting five citizens on ISIS-related terrorism charges during the year.Photo:Defense.gov.

Agenda.ge, 28 Feb 2023 - 16:22, Tbilisi,Georgia

The United States Department of State's 2021 Country Report on Terrorism on Tuesday said Georgia had continued its “robust engagement” on counterterrorism issues throughout that year and remained a “strong” security partner for the United States. 

The report noted the terrorism situation in Georgia in 2021 remained “quiet and stable”, with the Georgian authorities taking “further action” to secure the country’s borders and arresting five citizens on ISIS-related terrorism charges during the year.

Updated counterterrorism financing legislation came into force in Georgia, and the country worked to update its National Counterterrorism Strategy and Action Plan”, the document noted.

The release also highlighted the violence carried out by “far-right groups” against journalists and activists ahead of the planned Tbilisi Pride events in July of that year, where dozens of reporters gathered to cover the queer event were left injured.

Georgia is generally capable of detecting, deterring, and responding to terrorism incidents. [...] The State Security Service of Georgia is generally well equipped and well trained, and its Counterterrorism Unit continues to receive regular training and equipment, including from international partners”, the State Department also said. 

“Because Russia occupies the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia does not control a portion of its internationally recognized land border with Russia and therefore must enforce security along administrative boundary lines with its occupied territories”, the report also pointed out.