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Russia denies Georgian troop withdrawal
Georgian forces have withdrawn from South Ossetia where they were battling Russian troops, Georgian officials say.
- Agencies
- Published: 08:52 August 10, 2008
- Image Credit: AP
- South Ossetian separatist fighters guard civilians, as they make their way towards neighbouring Russia.
Tbilisi: Georgian forces have withdrawn from South Ossetia where they were battling Russian troops, Georgian officials said on Sunday.
The withdrawal came three days after the two sides began clashing for control of the pro-Russian region.
A Georgia interior ministry spokesman said troops have been withdrawn completely, and Russian forces are in control of the region.
However, Russian peacekeepers denied the statement, saying Georgian forces were still present in the breakaway province despite the announcement, Interfax news agency reported.
"Peacekeepers' posts monitor the presence of Georgian forces, artillery and armour," Interfax quoted Vladimir Ivanov, an aide to the Russian peacekeepers' commander, as saying by telephone fom Tskhinvali. "Georgia has not withdrawn forces from South Ossetia."
Earlier on Sunday, explosions rocked Georgia's capital, and a senior official said Russian warplanes bombed a military airfield outside Tbilisi and a town near the Abkhazia region in western Georgia.
"Three bombs were dropped on a military airfield belonging to Tbilaviastroi plant," said Shota Utiashvili, head of Georgia's Interior Ministry information department.
The plant has been producing Sukhoi Su-25 ground fighters.
Utiashvili also said Russian planes "have not stopped bombing the Kodori Gorge since yesterday, and now they are also bombing Zugdidi town."
He said that Russia had sent 6,000 troops into Georgia and a further 4,000 troops by sea and that Russian forces were preparing to attack.
"All of them are waiting for dawn to start active actions. Georgia faces a humanitarian catastrophe," Utiashvili said.
The head of Georgia's national security council said on Sunday that Russian naval vessels had arrived in the Abkhaz port of Ochamchira.
Russian troops and tanks rolled into Georgia on Friday after Georgian forces began an assault on the capital of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, which wants to become part of Russia.
Related Links
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- Georgia and Russia to stay at Olympics despite conflict
- Georgia parliament approves a 'state of war'
- Bush meets Putin over Georgia fighting
- Russia 'in operation' against Georgia
- 'Hundreds killed' in South Ossetia
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