Georgia says 14 killed near Russian border
Georgian soldiers hold national flags at a memorial cemetry in Tbilisi on August 8, 2012, as Georgians mark the anniversary of the Ossetian conflict.
At least 14 people, three members of Georgia's special force team, and 11 gunmen who crossed over into the country from Russia were killed on Wednesday, Georgia's interior ministry said.
According to AFP, which cites Georgia's interior ministry, the men died after Georgia launched an operation to free hostages near the Russian border. Reuters reported that Georgia had sent troops into the region to help local police.
This is the deadliest incidence of violence along the Georgia, Russia border since their 2008 war, and according to The New York Times, relations between the two countries have remained tense. If the gunmen are Russian, the incident will serve to increase tensions between the two countries.
"Another attempt to export a new wave of tension and instability into Georgia from our northern neighbor will be stopped at the very beginning," Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili said in a televised statement, Reuters reported.
Russia has accused Georgia for providing a safe haven for the islamist insurgency they are trying to fight in the North Caucasus republics, AFP reported. Tbilisi has rejected Moscow's allegations.
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