5 February: the Georgian military opened mortar fire on border regions of the Republic of Abkhazia at the river Ingur.
On the same day a Georgian diversionary group launched a raid on the village Gudava in the Gal District; 2 Abkhazian military personnel were wounded; 2 Georgian diversionaries were taken into custody.
7 February: a Georgian diversionary group tried to blow up a road bridge in the Gal District.
7 February: positions of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia in the village of Tageloni in the Gal District came under fire from the territory of the Republic of Georgia.
8 February: 2 buses with passengers from the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia were blown up by a Georgian diversionary group in the Gal District. Four military personnel were killed, 7 wounded.
End of February: in the village Naa 4 people were killed and 14 homes burned down as the result of a terrorist act. Documents belonging to employees of the Interior Ministry of Georgia were found there.
11 March: in the inhabited area of Otobaja in the Gal District an ambulance was blown up by a mine. Two nurses were killed, 3 wounded.
24 March: in the K'odor valley there was an attempt to break into the village of Lat'a by a reconnaissance diversionary group numbering upto 100 of the armed forces of Georgia.
Night 27-28 March: the Abkhazian side of the bank of the R. Ingur came under fire from Georgian armed formations across the river.
7 April: Georgian armed formations conducted uninterrupted artillery and mortar fire on the village of Lat'a in the K'odor valley. One soldier of the Abkhazian armed forces was killed, 6 wounded.
7 April: UNOMIG military observers came under fire in the village of Lat'a. One observer was wounded.
24 April: 25 soldiers of the armed forces of the Republic of Georgia crossed the frontier of the Republic of Abkhazia over the R. Ingur in the region of the village of Saberio.
24 May: in the K'odor valley the inhabited area of Lat'a came under massive artillery fire. Four soldiers of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia were wounded.
3 June: the positions of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia were fired on in the K'odor valley.
4 June: the positions of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia were fired on in the K'odor valley.
5 June: the positions of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia were fired on in the K'odor valley.
8 June: in the inhabited area of Otobaja in the Gal District a vehicle of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia was hit by a grenade launched from Georgian territory; 1 person was wounded.
8 June: the positions of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia were fired on the K'odor valley; 1 person was wounded.
10 June: in the K'odor valley there was massive artillery fire on the village of Lat'a. Four soldiers of the Republic of Abkhazia were wounded.
11 June: shooting in the K'odor valley.
11 June: several homes in the village of Gumurishi in the Gal District were burned down by a Georgian diversionary group; 1 peaceful citizen was killed, 1 woman wounded.
12 June: near the village of Primorskoe in the Gal District a high voltage pylon was blown up by a Georgian diversionary group.
29 June: shooting by Georgian bandit groups in the K'odor valley.
28 August: in the Security Zone of the Russian Federation's peace keeping forces a vehicle came under fire near the village of Sida. In it were personnel of the local administration. As a result 4 persons were killed.
10 September: on the road from the village of Rechkhi towards the village Saberio in the Gal District a vehicle with personnel of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia came under fire from an ambush. As a result Lieut. P. Lobzhania was wounded.
12 September: in the village of Nabakevi in the Gal District a BAZ-2109 vehicle with officers of the Russian Federation's peace-keeping forces was fired upon from an ambush. Two officers (Kakalich & Bulatov) were killed, Sen. Lieut. Chugaev was wounded.
12 September: in the village of Nabakevi in the Gal District living quarters where a group of militia were billetted came under fire from granade launchers and automatic weapons, resulting in 4 serving personnel (Kokoskeria, Bzhania, Kove, Aiba) receiving wounds.
27 September: in the village of Mukhuri in the Gal District a WAZ vehicle on its way to Gal for a meeting of heads of the administration was fired on by a Georgian bandit group. Eight were killed (Latsuzhbaja, Todua, Kozmava, Gurgulia, Shamatava, Basaria, Bumikaria, Kazmava), 2 (Sh. Shamatava, N. Shamaava) were wounded.
28 September: in the village of Nabakevi in the Gal District a BAZ-2106 vehicle carrying personnel of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia came under fire. Four (R. Kchach, Aiba, Khalvash, Chenchia) were killed.
17 October: in the village of Ganaxleba in the Gal District an M-21 Volga car with peaceful citizens on their way to a meeting with relatives was fired on from an ambush, resulting in the deaths of V. Arshba and Sh. Dzhindzholia, peaceful residents of the town T'qw'archal.
25 October: a raid took place by a Georgian bandit group, launched on Post No. 5 of the Defence Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia in the village of Shesheleti. One military officer in the Defence Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia, Ovsep Savisian, was killed, 2 (Bigvava & Martirasian) were wounded. One (Sikharulia) was killed on the side of the attackers -- he was dressed in camouflage gear.
25 October: 7 homes in the village of Repi were burned down.
31 October: during a patrol by personnel of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia a Georgian diversionary group of 12-15 persons was discovered near the village of Nabakevi in the Gal District. The group opened fire, as a result of which one Abkhazian soldier was wounded.
7 November: military personnel T. Terzian & A. Kokosian were killed in an ambush during patrol in the village of Saberio. The body of the latter was taken to the territory of Georgia and a registered weapon stolen.
19 November: in the border strip in the village of Otobaja in the Gal District a military contingent clashed with a bandit group. As a result of crossfire the group withdrew; there were no deaths or injuries.
Night 31 December-1 January: a diversionary act took place in the village of Primorskoe in the Gal District -- a high-voltage supply line was blown up.
10 January: a military agent of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia and 4 peaceful citizens were taken hostage by a Georgian diversionary group in the Gal District.
27 January: an attack on personnel of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia took place in the village of Tageloni in the Gal District as they were on patrol duty. One (R. Gulia) was killed, 3 wounded.
6 February: a Ural vehicle of the CIS peace-keeping forces was shot at in the village of Otobaja. A rank-&-file soldier, A. Romanov, was killed. Later the same day in the village of Nabakevi personnel of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia, Tskua & Juris, were wounded by Georgian terrorists.
8 February: a terrorist act was committed between the villages of Nabakevi and Tageloni as a result of which 2 soldiers were killed and 6 received wounds.
22 February: in the village of Chuburkhindzhi V. Chkadua and G. Kiria, citizens of the Gal District, were abducted and taken into Georgia by Georgian terrorists.
8 March: Akaba Chakaberia, resident of Chuburkhindzhi, was abducted along with her child.
12 March: in the village of Nabakevi an official vehicle of the Gal Regional Dept of the Interior Ministry was shot at. Two personnel of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia, R. Otyrba & Cherkezia, were killed, 2 seriously wounded.
13 March: the Kobalia family (husband Tamaz, wife Daredzhan Kobalia-Kakava) were taken hostage by a Georgian terrorist group in the village of Chuburkhindzhi.
18 March: in the village of Chuburkhindzhi in the Gal District a peaceful citizen of this village, E. Gurtskaja, was taken hostage by a Georgian terrorist group lead by V. Ubiria.
19 March: the Gvaramia family (father Vazha, son Lasha) were taken hostage by a Georgian terrorist group in the village of Tageloni.
19 March: another peaceful citizen, Kh. Lagvilava, of the village Tageloni was taken hostage by a Georgian terrorist group, and 2 other peaceful citizens of this village, V. Kuchuberia & V. Torua, were wounded.
20 March: peaceful citizen of the village Chuburkhindzhi, Zh. Chkadua, was taken hostage by a Georgian terrorist group.
1 April: during a reburial in the cemetery in the town of Gal a diversionary group under the command of a certain Dato Shengelia killed the head of the Gulripsh Regional Dept of the Interior Ministry, Col. E. Tkebuchava, the head of the protection unit of the Ingur power station, O. Narmania, citizen of the town of Ochamchira, A. Suleiman-ogli, director of the Mziuri collective, S. Arshba, and head of the military inspectorate of the Gal Regional Dept of the Interior Ministry, Kubucheria.
The following received serious wounds: U. Arshba, head of the SB(?) of the Gal District, Neli Pachulia, director of the Ochamchira Dept of Education [and widow of the man being reburied; he had been taken from his home in Ochamchira and summarily shot by Georgian troops during their occupation of southern Abkhazia], Maj. S. Sabekia, head of the Gal Regional Dept of the Interior Ministry, V. Tania and S. Delba, citizens of the town of Ochamchira. Deputy director of the Gulripsh Regional Dept of the Interior Ministry, D. Shakaja, and citizen Kalaidzhan of the village of Pshap were taken hostage. Both hostages were then conducted to the Georgian Interior Ministry in Tbilisi.
29 May: Sergeant E. Shervashidze of the Gal militia was abducted by Georgian terrorists.
13 June: Mziuri Antia and her 8-year-old daughter were taken hostage by a Georgian terrorist group under V. Ubiria.
19 June: in the village of Okhurei 8 peaceful residents, among whom were 3 women and one minor, were captured by Georgian terrorists under the command of V. K. Lemondzhava:
1. Nanuli K. Nachkebia (61)
2. Zaira Dzhindzholia (62)
3. N. Miloria
4. Bondo Robonaja
5. K. Pachulia (70)
6. Daur Kvitsinia (15)
7. Guliko Dzhokhaja
8. Arvelod Nachkebia (68)
19 June: a Moskvich car belonging to Astamur Dzhindzholia came under fire in the village of Okhurei from a Georgian terrorist group.
20 June: peaceful resident, Sh. Dzhigania, of the village Okhurei was killed in the village of Mukhuri by the Georgian terrorist group commanded by V. Lemondzhava.
25 December: a terrorist act was committed in the village of Kokhora in the T'qw'archal District by a Georgian diversionary-terrorist group. A Kamaz truck was blown up by an antitank mine. The driver died of his wounds; 3 passengers were taken to hospital in a serious condition.
1 January: 5 homes of peaceful citizens were burned down by a Georgian terrorist group in the village of Sida.
5 January: a Georgian diversionary group headed by Abesalom Arkvania* killed with automatic weapons in the village of Shesheleti in the Ochamchira District the Sanaja family and 2 of their neighbours -- in all 8 persons.
4 February: in the village of Guda(v)a in the Ochamchira District a Georgian diversionary group of 4 mounted from an ambush an attack with granade launchers and automatic fire on a vehicle with a contingent of military personnel of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia (Kheldar Dzhindzholia, Georgi Zarakua, Aleksandr Dzhindzholia, Milver Gogia, Vakhtang Zarakua) on their way to the village of Primorskoe in the Ochamchira District to carry out their duties. Three of the diversionaries were killed; one of the killed was identified as former resident of the village of Guda(v)a, Robert Gamisonia.
4 February: Georgian terrorists in the village of Saberio in the Gal District of Abkhazia opened fire in the Security Zone on a vehicle with military personnel of the peace-keeping forces. As a result of the shooting Russian militia woman and health inspector Kuzina together with ensign Leont'ev were wounded.
5 February: in the Security Zone of the CIS peace-keeping forces Georgian terrorists opened fire on a patrol vehicle of Russian peace keepers. As a result the officer leading the patrol was wounded.
5 February: in the Gal District of Abkhazia 3 peaceful citizens were taken hostage by a Georgian terrorist group and transported to Georgian territory.
7 February: in the village of Repi in the Gal District 2 military personnel (Inapshba & Mikheev) of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia were captured in the Zone of Restricted Weaponry, and also a resident of the village Repi, Revaz Sordia, was wounded as the military personnel were taking water in his yard.
8 February: in the village of Achigvara in the Ochamchira District of Abkhazia a 13-man diversionary group headed by Tsaava and Abesalom Arkvania burned down in the Zone of Restricted Weaponry 5 homes of peaceful residents: Givi Bacheshvili, Omar Chkhvirtia, Mamaptia Kvachakhia, Valiko Kvachakhia, Nodar Kvachakhia. The tea plantation was also torched.
5 March: in the inhabited area of Primorskoe in the Gal District of Abkhazia during the checking of posts of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia in the Security Zone a WAZ vehicle was blown up on an antitank mine. Three officers of the armed forces of the Republic of Abkhazia, amongst whom was Lieut-Col. Anua, commander of the eastern group of the army, received wounds, and one died.
9 March: in the residential quarter of Pervoe Gal in the Gal District of Abkhazia a UNOMIG vehicle was blown up by antitank mine in the Security Zone. As a result Lieut-Col. Muhamed Hussein (Bangladesh) of the military observers was killed, and 2 were wounded.
10 March: in the residential quarter of Tsarcha in the T'qw'archal District of Abkhazia a vehicle was blown up by antitank mine in the Security Zone. Inside were 2 peaceful residents called Khodzhava of the village Bedia, who perished on the spot.
Night 1-2 November: diversionary goups blew up the local printing office and opened fire on the peace-keeping forces of the Russian Federation and of the Defence Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia by the 2nd and 3rd stations of the Ingur Hydroelectric Station.
Night 2-3 November: during the course of about an hour groups of diversionaries, having surrounded the town of Gal, fired on it for 15 minutes. A large number of residential buildings were damaged, the main water supply system was blown up along with the electricity station.
On the same night they also opened fire on posts of the peace-keeping forces of the Russian Federation and of the Defence Ministry of the Republic of Abkhazia.
3 November: a GAZ-24 vehicle was blown up by a remote-controlled antitank mine laid by diversionaries. Two passengers were killed, 2 seriously wounded.
22 November: at 10.30 in the immediate vicinity of the Gal Administration building a mine was set off by a timing device. The building suffered serious damage. There were no injuries.
The same day at 12.00 in the village of Otobaja an armoured troop carrier of the peace-keeping forces of the Russian Federation was blown up by an anti-tank mine laid by diversionaries. As a result a military person of the peace-keeping forces were seriously injured (with a broken back).
During the first 10 months of 1996 on the territory of the Gal and part of the Ochamchira Districts 22 terrorist acts were perpetrated by diversionaries. As a result 38 persons lost their lives, 22 suffered injury, and 11 private homes were torched.
*In a communique from the Abkhazian Press Centre in Moscow shortly thereafter the following information was given: "A group headed by Mingrelian Abesalom Arkvania, a known terrorist, entered the Security Zone from Zugdidi armed with automatic weapons, 2 grenade launchers, and handheld rocket launchers of the Mukha type. On 9 January this group stopped a passing vehicle on the approach to the R. Okumi between the villages of Achigvara and Tsarcha, taking 4 passengers hostage. These managed to escape, and one of them, Valeri Alania, reported what had happened to the head of administration in the Gal District. He said that 2 brothers named Abshilava, formerly residents of the village of Reka in the Ochamchira District, were members of the group. Though Mingrelians, they spoke fluent Abkhaz, as did the other three (unnamed) who came originally from Tsarcha in the Gal District. Alania said the head of the bandits, Arkvania, admitted this group had murdered a certain Kvaratskhelia and 8 members of the Sanaja family on 5 January. Alania said that, after escaping from the bandits, he encountered a group of peace-keepers to whom he gave information about the location of the bandits, but they took no action. The bandits are thought to be hiding within the Security Zone, and it is feared that, because they use the Abkhaz language among themselves, they could well create the impression among the Kartvelian population of Abkhazia that citizens of Abkhazian nationality are involved in these acts of banditry and terrorism",
This is, of course, just the impression the terrorists wish to produce: attacks on the largely Mingrelian population of the Gal District are designed to 1. destabilise the situation, 2. make it seem that the Abkhazians, under whose control the Gal District lies, are responsible for anti-Mingrelian activity, 3. create a bogus justification for Georgia to re-establish control over the region. These tactics have been rather successful, at least on the international front where, for example, the closing statement of the plenary meeting of The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Lisbon at the beginning of December 1996 included a specific condemnation of the Abkhazians for committing human rights abuses against the 'Georgian' (sc. Kartvelian) population of Abkhazia, having been convinced by Georgian propagandist claims that the bulk of the pre-war quarter of a million Kartvelian (largely Mingrelian) population of Abkhazia was subjected after the Abkhazian victory in September 1993 and has been subjected ever since to ethnic cleansing. On the other hand, the actual aggressor in this conflict, Eduard Shevardnadze, who engineered the invasion of Abkhazia on 14 August 1992 has not only totally escaped international censure but is optimistic that his republic will shortly be admitted to membership of The Council of Europe, supposedly bastion of post-World War II human rights, to which Russia gained admission earlier this year despite the carnage it was even then conducting in Chechenia. So easily are words (such as 'ethnic cleansing/genocide') stripped of meaning and western ideals (such as The Council of Europe's obligation to protect human rights) perverted...