EUMM: Patrol in Vicinity of Dividing Line ‘Not Response to Specific Incident’

On October 31, the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) stated that a “regular, scheduled patrol near the village of Atotsi” adjacent to the occupied Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia in the early hours of 30 October, was “not a response to any specific incident.” 

The statement follows “recent media reports and information distributed on social media,” according to which the Russian security forces and their Tskhinvali proxies had crossed the line of occupation and that EUMM monitors “carried out unplanned patrolling” near the village of Atotsi yesterday.

“Rather it was scheduled in advance according to the Mission’s patrolling plans,” the EUMM claimed, adding that the Mission is monitoring the dividing line between Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia and Georgia proper “intensively both day and night.”

According to the statement, the EUMM is “closely monitoring and reporting on incremental ‘borderization’ activities in the vicinity of Atotsi.” “During the past days the Mission has observed new fencing being installed, creating additional barriers to the freedom of movement for the conflict affected population,” it stated.

The EUMM also noted that the Mission “has not observed any notable difference in posture or patrolling patterns of security actors from South Ossetia on the ground compared to the recent past.” According to the EUMM assessment, “the security situation on that particular stretch of the ABL (Administrative Boundary Line) to be relatively stable presently.”

EUMM Head Erik Høeg also wrote on his official Twitter page that “regrettably unverified info spread on social media etc. often fuel fears among already suffering local population.”

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