17 September 2004, 20:49
South Osetian authorities suspect Georgia of preparing military invasion
Yesterday, September 16, the United Press Center of the Republic of South Osetia issued a statement that Georgia had plans of a military invasion. The operation is planed to be conducted after September 19 as a blitzkrieg from three directions at once so that to occupy strategic hills. According to the South Osetian Defense Ministry, elements of the Georgian Armed Forces numbering about 16 thousand people are amassed along the perimeter of South Osetian borders now. And the number of servicemen and fighters in the units stationed inside South Osetia in Georgian villages exceeds 3 thousand. The United Press Center has information that the Georgian side has already brought up a large number of heavy vehicles, and Grad and Uragan emplacements are also expected to be brought up to the conflict zone or immediately to the South Osetian borders.
Georgian combat positions are concentrated in the most highly-populated places. For instance, the territory of the school in the Tamarasheni village is changed into a solid combat fortification with blindages and trenches. Thus the South Osetian authorities suppose there will be great losses among civilians, including Georgians, which will give the Georgian side a pretext to press for international interference in the armed conflict.
Author: Inga Kochiyeva, CK correspondent Source: Caucasian Knot
