02 August 2008, 19:33
South Ossetia authorities evacuate population
The authorities of the unrecognized republic started to evacuate women, children and old people as a result of the shelling of South Ossetia settlements.
Repeated fire was opened in South Ossetia between Georgian and South Ossetian military units. As of this moment, the number of wounded is 12 people.
Yuri Morozov, head of the South Ossetia government, had an urgent meeting with chiefs of the republic's power authorities. During the meeting, they discussed measures to ensure safety of the republic's civil population, reports the SO Committee on Information and press. The mission to evacuate children, women and old people was given to Zamira Dzhioyeva, Minister of Education, and Rufin Dzhioyev, chair of the Committee on Phisical Culture, Sport and Tourism.
Today, the buses with children, women and old people from the Ossetin village of Dmenisi which was shelled during the night have started for North Ossetia, reports ITAR-TASS.
The republic's leadership has called the authorities of North Ossetia-Alania for assistance. North Ossetia states that it is prepared to receive any number of children in case of evacuation.
Eduard Kokoity, president of the unrecognized republic, accuses Georgia of shelling South Ossetia settlements and states that South Ossetia is ready to start general mobilization in the republic, as well as to announce recruiting volunteers across North Caucasus.
In its turn, Georgia claims that, initially, fire in the conflict zone was opened by the Ossetin party and forced the Georgian party to undertake measures in response.
