Casualties Reported in Overnight Shootout in South Ossetia

At least six South Ossetians were killed and two Georgian policemen wounded in an overnight shootout in the Ossetian conflict zone on August 1.

?Two Georgians were slightly wounded. According to our information at least six South Ossetians were killed. We opened fire after our positions were attacked from the South Ossetian side. We will open fire in the future as well and respond with adequate measure in case of attacks,? Georgian Interior Minister Irakli Okruashvili told reporters.

The session of the Joint Control Commission, involving the Georgian, South Ossetian, Russian and North Ossetian, sides preceded the overnight shootouts in the conflict zone.

Irakli Okruashvili, who together with State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava represented the Georgian side at the JCC session, said after the talks on July 31 that the sides agreed to set up a joint ? Russian, Georgian and Ossetian peacekeeping checkpoint near Tskhinvali.

Sporadic shootouts on July 29-30 near the Georgian village of Tamarasheni and the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali left several wounded on he both sides.

According to the Georgian side, a school, kindergarten and several houses were destroyed as a result of shelling in Tamarasheni overnight on July 30.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)