Pankisi in Pictures


 The police permission is needed to pass the checkpoint and enter Pankisi gorge.
 According to the Security Ministry before the 2002 up to 700 Chechen fighters and 100 Arab mercenaries were hiding in 34 km-long Pankisi gorge. 
 Internal Troops carry out round a clock patrolling of the gorge. 
 

There are seven mosques in Pankisi. The largest one is located in Duisi village.

 

Marcus Meckel (on the right), Chairman of the sub-committee for Central and Eastern Europe of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly meets Chechen refugees in Pankisi gorge.

 Chechen refugees protest against frequent mop-up operations carried out by the Georgian Internal Troops.
 

The local population of Pankisi – Kists, which are closely related to Chechens, gave a shelter to refugees from Chechnya in 1999. Around 3,500 refugees live in Pankisi at the moment.

 Chechen refugees want education for their children.
 And complain for lack of medicines.
 Troops are ready for  Chechen fighters’ possible new incursion.