FOUR KILLED IN ABKHAZIA BLAST

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 001170


DEPT. FOR EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: FOUR KILLED IN ABKHAZIA BLAST

REF: A. TBILISI 1141

B. TBILISI 1152

C. TBILISI 1160

D. TBILISI 1161


Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary and Comment: On the evening of July 6, a
powerful explosion ripped through a cafe in the city of Gali,
killing four, including the de-facto chief of state security
for Gali, Major Muratia, and an off-duty UN interpreter. Ten
others, including another UN interpreter, were wounded. The
explosion occurred following a series of four small
explosions the morning of July 6 on the Georgian side of the
cease-fire line along the M-27 highway near the Enguri
bridge, reportedly hitting the car of the Georgian deputy
police chief. The United Nations Observer Mission to Georgia
(UNOMIG) reported that no injuries resulted from the blast,
and damage to the road was minimal. UNOMIG also reports that
the Enguri bridge has reopened to civilian traffic (refs
A&B),though locals need to show a Russian passport or a
local Abkhaz ID card to pass. Separately, Irakli Tsanava,
leader of the Georgian-backed government in Upper Abkhazia,
accused the Russians of bringing in an additional 45
trainloads of weapons, including tanks and anti-aircraft
guns, into Abkhazia. UNOMIG confirmed that the CIS PKF is
currently conducting a swap of its BTR armored personnel
carriers, but could not confirm reports of additional heavy
equipment entering Abkhazia.


2. (C) Summary and Comment continued: The situation in
South Ossetia was calm despite sporadic firefights over the
weekend following a series of attacks and reprisals on July 3
that killed South Ossetian de-facto police chief Nodar
Bibilov and targeted the motorcade of Dmitry Sanakoyev,
leader of the Georgian-backed temporary administrative unit
of South Ossetia (ref D). Georgian media reported that two
people were killed and 10 wounded following a mortar attack
on the evening of July 3 on Tskhinvali, the capital of the
breakaway republic of South Ossetia. OSCE monitors confirmed
that three people were wounded in the attack, but could not
confirm any fatalities. Shooting was also reported near the
Georgian villages of Nuli and Kekhvi early on July 5, but
there were no casualties. The incidents in both conflict
zones have further increased tensions in the region by
fueling a string of attacks and retributory counter-attacks
that could easily push the sides into open conflict.
Particularly troubling is the recent increase in the number
and frequency of bomb and IED explosions targeting both
Georgian and de-facto officials, and the use of explosives
apparently to create fear among local civilians. Such
tactics, which were widespread prior to Saakashvili's
election in 2004, could mark the beginning of a new and
dangerous stage where elements from both sides settle scores
using terrorist tactics. We are actively and strongly
condemning these acts (ref C) and the Ambassador spoke again
with Foreign Minister Tkeshelashvili on July 7 to further
reinforce our message that these attacks stop. End Summary
and Comment.

Gali Security Chief killed by blast
--------------

3. (C) On the evening of July 6, the ethnic Abkhaz Gali
de-facto state security chief, Major Muratia, was killed by
an explosion at the opening of a new cafe in the
predominantly ethnic-Georgia city of Gali in Abkhazia. The
blast also killed an off-duty UN interpreter, a member of the
Abkhaz state security service and a local civilian. Ten
others were wounded, including another UN interpreter.
Abkhaz de-facto president Sergei Bagapsh accused the Georgian
government of engaging in "state terrorism," saying that the
Gali blast was the latest in a chain of "terrorist acts"
targeting de-facto leaders. Georgian government officials
denied any involvement in the blast, with Georgian Deputy
Interior Minister Shota Utiashvili calling Bagapsh's claims
"absurd and groundless." The cafe explosion followed a
series of four blasts earlier that morning along the M-27
highway near the Georgian village of Rukhi. UNOMIG reports
that the explosives detonated in a timed series, with the
third and fourth explosions occurring simultaneously
approximately 10 minutes after the second explosion, in an
apparent attempt to target the first responders on the scene.
No injuries were reported, though the car belonging to the
Georgian deputy police chief for Zugdidi, Napoleon
Partstvania, was damaged as he attempted to secure the area
following the first two blasts. All four explosions are
believed to have been from 60-82mm mortar rounds used as
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted along the road.


4. (C) UNOMIG reports that the main administrative boundary
crossing between Georgia and Abkhazia along the Enguri bridge
has reopened to civilian traffic. Abkhaz militia are
requiring civilians traveling to Gali to have either a
Russian passport or a "Form 9" refugee ID card to cross.
Separately, Irakli Tsanava, leader of the Georgian-backed
government in Upper Abkhazia, accused the Russians of
bringing in an additional 45 trainloads of weapons, including
tanks, BTR armored personnel carriers, anti-aircraft guns and
radar, into Abkhazia. UNOMIG confirmed that the CIS PKF were
currently conducting a swap of BTRs on a one-for-one basis,
but could not confirm reports that additional heavy equipment
was entering Abkhazia.

South Ossetia calm but tense following attacks
-------------- -

5. (C) The situation in South Ossetia is currently calm
following a series of attacks and reprisals on July 3-4
targeting Georgian and South Ossetian officials (ref C).
Georgian media reported that two people were killed and 10
wounded in a mortar attack on Tskhinvali on the night of July
3, several hours after the attack on Sanakoyev's motorcade
(ref D). OSCE monitors confirmed that three persons were
wounded in the attack, and its investigation into the
incident was unable to determine the origin of the attack.
Subsequent gunfire was reported in the Georgian villages of
Nuli and Kekhvi early on July 5, but there were no
casualties. Following the attack on Sanakoyev, the Georgian
government temporarily withdrew its peacekeepers from the
Joint Peacekeeping Forces (JPKF) command center in Tskhinvali
to the Georgian village of Nikozi, shortly before the
shelling of Tskhinvali began. Several rounds exploded near
the JPKF command center, fueling speculation among the
Russian and South Ossetian peacekeepers that the Georgian
peacekeepers knew about the attack in advance and withdrew to
safety beforehand. (Comment: OSCE has no evidence of
Georgian participation in the attacks or that the Georgian
PKF knew about the attack in advance, but expressed concern
that the Russian and South Ossetian suspicions will poison
the atmosphere of trust that had been developing between the
members of the JPKF prior to the latest incidents. End
comment).


6. (C) Following the events of July 3-4, Georgian media
reported accusations from both sides concerning the movement
of additional heavy military equipment into the security
zone. OSCE is currently investigating reports that the South
Ossetians have brought in four D40 howitzers, 11 BMP armored
personnel carriers and six ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns into the
zone. South Ossetian de-facto interior minister Mikheil
Mindzayev also accused Georgia of bringing in heavy military
hardware to "bomb" residential areas. OSCE confirmed the
presence of two new Georgian BMPs armed with ZU-23
anti-aircraft guns (Note: the ZU-23, when mounted on a BMP,
can be used to target ground forces and is considered a heavy
weapon. End note). OSCE reported on July 7 that the
Georgians were in the process of withdrawing the two
ZU-23-armed BMPs, which are considered heavy weaponry and
thus in violation of the cease-fire agreement.

TEFFT