GEORGIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA WAGING "SNIPER WAR"?

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2008 13:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia’s breakaway republic of South Ossetia
reported on Friday evening that three people had been killed as
Georgian troops continued to shell its capital, Tskhinvali.

"A Georgian mortar platoon is shelling southern districts of
Tskhinvali," South Ossetia’s information and press committee said. "The
northern [de facto] border is also being shelled. South Ossetia is
returning fire."

South Ossetia had earlier reported that Georgian snipers were firing
on a border checkpoint in the region, killing one police officer and
injuring one more.

Russian peacekeepers deployed in the region confirmed the reports of
automatic weapon fire.

"Three people have been killed and seven injured as of 21:00
Moscow time (17:00 GMT) by snipers from the Georgian side firing on
Tskhinvali," Commander Vladimir Ivanov said, adding that the attacks
were continuing.

South Ossetia’s leader said the unrecognized republic would retaliate.

"Georgia has declared a sniper war on the Republic of South Ossetia
and made another attempt to unleash a large scale war," Eduard Kokoity
said. "The republic has so far refrained from retaliatory moves,
but will not do so any more," he said, RIA Novosti reports.

South Ossetia’s government head Yuri Morozov held a conference to
discuss security measures. He voiced concerned over the fact of
"sniper war".

Meanwhile, officials in Georgian Ministry of Interior deny that snipers
were enabled in the operation. Defense Ministry says the fire was a
compulsory measure.

The peacekeeping command has set a look-out station between Ossetian
village of Andisi and Georgian Sveri.