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Georgian troops and warplanes pound separatists
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili accuses Russia of conducting a "large-scale military operation" against Georgia after Tbilisi said Russian aircraft had bombed two Georgian towns.
- Agencies
- Published: 11:38 August 8, 2008
- Georgian tanks move along a road near the city of Tskhinvali from Tbilisi on Friday.
- Image Credit: Reuters
Tbilisi: Georgia said it was opening a corridor on Friday to allow women and children to evacuate the capital of breakaway South Ossetia, which was under siege by Georgian forces.
Georgia is "preparing to open a corridor for woman, children and all peaceful citizens who want to leave Tskhinvali," Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava was quoted as saying by Georgian television.
Fighting raged in and around the South Ossetian capital as Georgian troops, backed by tanks and warplanes, pounded separatist forces in a bid to re-take the territory.
Georgia said three Russian jets had entered Georgian airspace and dropped bombs just south of the territory. There was no immediate comment from Moscow.
The pro-Western Georgian president, Mikheil Saakashvili, said his forces had "freed" the greater part of Tskhinvali, capital of the region, and accused Russia of conducting a "large-scale" operation against Georgia.
He ordered a full-scale mobilisation of military reservists and demanded that “Russia stop bombardment of peaceful Georgian cities.''
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Russia would respond to aggressive Georgian action.
Russian news agency Interfax said Georgian troops had entered Tskhinvali after intense battles overnight, forcing thousands of people to take refuge from the shelling in cellars.
Many houses were ablaze and at least 15 people were reported killed in the fighting.
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