Georgian Army Entered Inner Khevsureti

(Tbilisi, August 29 2002, Civil Georgia) Armed forces of Georgian Ministry of Defense entered inner Khevsureti on August 28. Georgian army deployed near the village Barisakho and opened checkpoints. Minister of Defense Davit Tevzadze himself arrived in Barisakho.

Tevzadze told reporters that deployment of armed forces in Barisakho is a part of planned military exercises.

Khevsureti borders Chechnya and Russian military assert Chechen rebels enter Russia from there.

Ministry of Defense began large-scale military exercises in Pichkhovani near the Pankisi Gorge on August 25. In parallel of MoD exercises, additional units of Internal Troops entered the Pankisi Gorge, which conducts anti-criminal operation there.