07 August 2008, 23:24
South Ossetia announces war with Georgia
The South Ossetia authorities report that Georgia has started war against South Ossetia. The Georgian government claims that it was forced to cancel the previous unilateral moratorium on fire actions and to open response fire due to incessant shelling of Georgian villages by South Ossetia units.
On the night of August 7, Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili stated that he had ordered the troops not to open return fire against South Ossetia units. However, the shelling of Tskhinvali was resumed already by midnight.
The fire was open despite the agreement between Georgia and South Ossetia on ceasefire by both parties until the negotiations which were appointed for Friday, August 8, at the location of peace-makers in Tskhinvali.
According to the report of the South Ossetia State Committee on Information and Press, intensive artillery shelling from "Grad" missile salvo systems and large-caliber guns and mortars is conducted against civil population, old people and children. Combat actions are under way near Tskhinval. Most shells now explode in the city center. There are killed and wounded but they can not be brought to the hospital yet. Scores of houses in the SOR are on fire.
The shelling is conducted from the Georgian territories, Gori direction, adjoining South Ossetia. Electricity supply in Tskhinvali, the unrecognized republic's capital, is cut off.
