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Georgia parliament approves a 'state of war'
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Saturday he would ask parliament to approve the introduction of martial law while Georgian forces battle Russian and separatist forces in the rebel South Ossetia region.
- Agencies
- Published: 13:40 August 9, 2008
Tbilisi: Georgia's parliament approved a state of war across the country on Saturday following days of fighting against separatists in its South Ossetia region and their Russian allies.
"The state of war will be valid for 15 days," stated the decree by President Mikheil Saakashvili that parliament approved.
Saakashvili had said he pushed for the decree to be approved because "Georgia is now facing military aggression from Russia".
Russian forces have joined separatists in South Ossetia fighting Georgian soldiers, and Russian jets have bombed military and civilian targets in Georgia.
Russia says it is defending its allies in South Ossetia and accused Georgia of triggering the heavy fighting that erupted on Friday.
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