GEORGIA: UNIDENTIFIED GUNMAN TAKE SEVERAL U.N. MILITARY OBSERVERS HOSTAGE IN ABKHAZIA

Record ID: 376955

  • Title: GEORGIA: UNIDENTIFIED GUNMAN TAKE SEVERAL U.N. MILITARY OBSERVERS HOSTAGE IN ABKHAZIA
  • Date: 13th October 1999
  • Summary: SUKHOMI, ABKHAZIA, GEORGIA (OCTOBER 13, 1999) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV GROUNDED UNITED NATIONS (U.N.) HELICOPTER WITH BULLET HOLES 0.07 2. CLOSER VIEW OF BULLET HOLES (2 SHOTS) 0.22 3. SLV HELICOPTER 0.28 4. VARIOUS HELICOPTER INTERIOR, U.N. STAFF HELMETS, PHONES, EQUIPMENT ON SEATS AND FLOOR (2 SHOTS) 0.41 5. MV U.N. VEH
  • Embargoed: 28th October 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SUKHOMI, ABKHAZIA, GEORGIA
  • Country: Georgia
  • Reuters ID: LVA2BJES3T9DDCZJ7864YLA3FQCF
  • Story Text: Unidentified gunmen have taken several United
    Nations (U.N.) military observers hostage in Georgia's
    breakaway region of Abkhazia.

    The United Nations (U.N.) observers were seized on
    Wednesday (October 13) in the village of Azhara, 75 km (50
    miles) from the Abkhaz regional capital of Sukhumi, when their
    helicopter landed there as part of their peacekeeping work.

    The helicopter pilot managed to escape from the gunmen and
    fly to Sukhumi though his craft was riddled with gunfire.

    The United Nations has sent off a negotiation team back to
    the village to try to negotiate with the captors.

    The gunmen are reportedly demanding a 200,000 United
    States (U.S.) dollars ransom for the return of hostages from
    the Czech Federation, Uruguay, Sweden, Germany, Greece,
    Switzerland, and Abkhazia.

    The Black Sea region of Abkhazia has been beyond Georgia's
    control since 1994, when separatist forces drove government
    troops out after neearly two years of fighting.

    The United Nations has around 100 unarmed observers along
    the borders of Abkhazia and Georgia, but armed Russian
    paratroopers carry out most of the border patrol duties on
    behalf of the post-Soviet Commonwealth of Indpendent States
    which includes Georgia and Russia.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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