GEORGIA: GEORGIAN FORCES CONTINUE THEIR MASSIVE SECURITY OPERATION IN PANKSIS GORGE

Record ID: 643503

  • Title: GEORGIA: GEORGIAN FORCES CONTINUE THEIR MASSIVE SECURITY OPERATION IN PANKSIS GORGE
  • Date: 18th September 2002
  • Summary: (U7) PANKISI GORGE, GEORGIA (SEPTEMBER 19, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV: GEORGIAN ARMY CHECKPOINT IN PANKISI GORGE 0.06 2. SV: GEORGIAN SOLDIERS CARRYING SAND BAG 0.13 3. MV: TANK IN POSITION IN PANKISI GORGE 0.19 4. SV: GEORGIAN SOLDIER ON TANK 0.24 5. PAN: MILITARY TRUCK DRIVES THROUGH CHECKPOINT, GEORGIAN SOLDIERS STANDING ON ROAD 0.34 6. SV: SOLDIERS AT CHECKPOINT 0.41 7. LV: GEORGIAN TANK AND ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER IN POSITION IN PANKISI GORGE 0.46 8. MV: GEORGIAN TANK IN POSITION 0.51 9. SV'S/MV: GEORGIAN SOLDIERS WEARING BLACK MASKS IN MILITARY JEEPS (3 SHOTS) 1.09 10. SV: GEORGIAN SOLDIERS TALKING ON RADIO 1.17 11. TRAVELLING SHOTS/SV: JEEPS WITH SOLDIERS PATROLLING STREETS (3 SHOTS) 1.35 12. CLOSE VIEW OF MOSQUE IN DISTANCE/ ZOOM OUT 1.47 13. MV: GEORGIAN SOLDIERS WEARING BLACK MASKS ON STREET 1.53 14. SV: SOLDIER HOLDING GUN 2.02 15. SV: FAMILY STANDING OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE 2.08 16. SV: WOMAN HOLDING CHILD 2.14 17. SV: SOLDIERS WALKING ALONG STREET 2.21 18. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) OTAR SADIASHVILI, PANKISI GORGE RESIDENT: "Now, when our army entered the gorge, I hope the Russians will leave us alone. I hope they will see that there is an order here and the situation is under control and leave us alone." 2.30 19. MV: GEORGIAN SOLDIERS ON STREET 2.36 20. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) KOBA NARCHEMASHVILI, GEORGIAN INTERIOR MINISTER, IN CHARGE OF SECURITY OPERATION IN PANKISI GORGE: "We are cooperating with intelligence services of various countries, mainly in the field of information exchange, including our Russian colleagues. But at the moment officials from foreign intelligence services are not present here, in the gorge. But we have high hopes of the cooperation we have and hope to get real results. As for the members of Al-Qaeda, I can tell that during the operation we did not find any of them in the gorge." 3.07 (U7) PANKISI GORGE, GEORGIA (SEPTEMBER 18, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 21. MV: EXTERIOR OF VILLAGE HOSPITAL 3.11 22. SV: BODY OF ALLEGED CHECHEN REBEL KILLED BY GEORGIAN TROOPS IN EXCHANGE OF GUNFIRE LYING ON TABLE IN VILLAGE HOSPITAL 3.22 23. VARIOUS OF DETAINED CHECHENS BEHIND BARS (4 SHOTS) 3.37 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 3rd October 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PANKISI GORGE, GEORGIA
  • Country: Georgia
  • Reuters ID: LVA11VRFM9LEAHKBD90GO0PAVU0N
  • Story Text: Georgia continues its massive security operation in
    Pankisi gorge amid new Russia's warnings of possible
    pre-emptive strikes against any guerilla bands who might want
    to cross from Georgia into Russian territory.


    1,000 heavily-armed Georgian Interior Ministry troops,
    backed by thirty tanks and armoured vehicles, entered lawless
    Pankisi Gorge about three weeks ago, countering Russian
    accusations of harbouring international terrorism.

    The security operation, aimed at flushing out extremists
    and criminals and restoring law and order in the mountainous
    area bordering Russia's Chechnya, so far resulted in the
    killing of two alleged Chechen rebels in an exchange of fire
    with the Georgian troops and detention of 13 Chechen
    nationals.

    Georgian troops set up several checkpoints at the entrance
    and inside the gorge. Armoured vehicles have been patrolling
    the area and soldiers have been carrying out regular ID and
    vehicles' checks.

    Pankisi residents welcomed the troops and expressed hope
    that military sweeps, conducted by Georgian troops, will
    stabilise the situation in the gorge and will help to avoid
    armed conflict in the area.

    Koba Narchemashvili, Georgia's Interior Minister in charge
    of the operation, said that so far his troops failed to
    uncover any Al-Qaeda members in the gorge.

    Georgian officials claim that the operation is successful
    and that it has entered its third and final stage with troops
    expanding their search for criminal elements beyond the
    populated areas and looking for arms caches and mountainous
    hideouts.

    Russia does not share Georgia's optimism. Russian Defence
    Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Thursday (September 19) that
    Russia is ready to launch pre-emptive strikes against Chechen
    rebels if they try to cross from Georgia to Russia. Earlier
    this month Russian President Vladimir Putin already threatened
    to take military actions against Chechen militants hiding in
    Pankisi gorge.

    Sergei Ivanov made these comments while travelling to
    Washington where he, along with Russia's Foreign Minister Igor
    Ivanov, was expected to meet U.S. Defence Secretary Donald
    Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell.

    Russian defence minister indicated that he will use the
    meeting to present Bush administration with clear evidence
    that Georgia is providing shelter and aid to Chechen rebels
    and other guerilla groups.

    Relations between Russia and Georgia have hit new lows in
    the past weeks as Moscow accused Georgia of turning a blind
    eye to Chechen guerrillas in Pankisi and refusing to hand over
    rebels arrested by Georgian forces.
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