WUNRN
South Ossetia Armed
Conflict - Women & Children
SOUTH OSSETIA - South
Caucasus - Current Events May Change Information Status - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Ossetia
South
Ossetia is
a region in the South Caucasus, formerly the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, part of which has been de
facto
independent from Georgia since its declaration of independence as the Republic of South
Ossetia during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict early in the 1990s. Its
independence has not been diplomatically
recognized
by any United Nations member-state – which
continues to regard South Ossetia as part of Georgia. Georgia has retained
control over parts of the region's eastern and southern districts where it
created, in April 2007, a Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia)[1][2][3][4] headed by ethnic Ossetians (former members of the
separatist government) which would negotiate with central Georgian authorities
regarding its final status and conflict resolution.[5]
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South Ossetia
Conflict
People in the town of Gori, close to Tskhinvali, studied lists of the wounded to find the names of friends and family.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7546639.stm
Georgian forces and South Ossetian separatists have been
exchanging heavy fire just hours after agreeing to a ceasefire and
Russian-mediated talks.
Russian
media reports said Georgia had launched a tank-led attack on the separatist
stronghold of Tskhinvali, and airstrikes on rebel positions.
Georgia
says it aims to finish "a criminal regime" and restore order.
At
least 15 people are reported dead. Moscow called on the world community to work
"to avert massive bloodshed".
At
Russia's request, members of the UN Security Council are holding a rare
emergency session to discuss a response to the escalating violence.
The
BBC's Matthew Collin in Tbilisi says there has been a series of huge explosions
and rocket fire in and around Tskhinvali.
Hundreds
of fighters from Russia and Georgia's other breakaway region of Abkhazia are
reportedly heading to aid the separatist troops.
'Perfidious step'
South
Ossetian rebel leader Eduard Kokoity told Russia's Interfax news agency that
Georgia had launched an all-out attack on the town of Tskhinvali, in what he
called "a perfidious and base step".
The head of Georgian peacekeepers in
South Ossetia said the operation was intended to "restore constitutional
order" to the region.
The
Georgian Minister for Integration, Temur Yakobashvili, said Georgia's aim was
not to take over the territory but to finish "a criminal regime".
Days
of fierce conflict have raised fears of a new war in the volatile Caucasus.
In
a televised address, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili earlier called for
the bloodshed to end, but also warned the Russian-backed separatists not to try
Tbilisi's patience.
A
truce was later announced, with emergency talks set for Friday, but by
nightfall, both sides were trading heavy fire.
Georgia
accuses Russia of arming the South Ossetian authorities - who have been trying
to break away since the civil war in the 1990s. Moscow denies the claim.
President
Saakashvili has vowed to restore Tbilisi's control over South Ossetia and
Abkhazia.
The
Ossetians have traditionally had good relations with Russia, and North Ossetia
is part of the Russian Federation.
Russia
is hostile to Georgia's ambition to join Nato and has accused Georgia of
building up its forces around the breakaway regions, where Russian peacekeeping
troops are deployed.
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