A Short Chronicle of Events of the 1992-93 Georgian-Abkhazian War

August 14, 1992 Georgian troops enter Abkhazia, the eastern corner of S!kh! %

ove thro!gh Gal, "cha chira, an# G!lripsh, an# occ!p$

August 18, 1992 Georgian troops take control of S!kh! % &he$ re ove the State flag fro atop the Govern ent 'o!se% (n the "cha chira region, )hich is in their han#s, partisan ban#s activel$ oppose the % (n the cit$ of Grozn$, the *arlia ent of the Congress of the +o!ntain *eoples of the Ca!cas!s a#opts a resol!tion to #ispatch to Abkhazia gro!ps of vol!nteer fighters% August 19, 1992 Georgian troops take control of the cit$ of Gagra% August 24, 1992 &he Georgian general lea#ing the inva#ing forces in the a!t! n of 1992, Gia ,arkarashvili, state# on &- that he )o!l# sacrifice 1..,... Georgians to kill all 9/,... Abkhazians, if that is )hat it took to keep Georgia0s bor#ers inviolate%0 1A si ilar threat ca e fro the hea# of Georgia0s )arti e a# inistration, Giorgi ,hain#rava, on the pages of 2e +on#e 3iplo ati4!e in April 1993% Goga 5Giorgi6 ,hain#rava, tol# the correspon#ent fro 2e +on#e 3iplo ati4!e that 7there are only 80,000 Abkhazians, which means that we can easily and completely destroy the genetic stock of their nation by killing 15,000 of their youth. And we are perfectly capable of doing this.''8

September 3, 1992 (n +osco), 9% :eltsin, E% Shevar#na#ze, an# -% Ar#zinba hol# a eeting% &he$ sign a s! ar$ #oc! ent, in )hich it is agree# that the )ar shall be halte# fro 12 o0clock on Septe ber ;< that the opposing ilitar$ forces shall be p!lle# back ever$)here< that Georgian fighters sho!l# choose so e other place for relocation< an# that the legall$ electe# a!thorities of Abkhazia shall be allo)e# to res! e their )ork% September 5, 1992 &he t)o si#es cease fire an# begin !t!al reconciliation% &hen, at 12%1., Georgian artiller$ breaks the peace b$ shelling Abkhaz stronghol#s in the village of Eshera% At 22%3. Georgian fighters rene) the offensive% September 9, 1992 Abkhazians an# Georgians negotiating in S!kh! agree to cease fire on the 1.th of the onth% Georgian fighters #isregar# this agree ent, as )ell as t)o s!bse4!ent cease fire agree ents on the 1;th an# 1/th of the onth% October 1-6, 1992 Georgian troops are e=pelle# fro Gagra an# its environs% "n the 1st of the onth at 1/%.. ho!rs the Abkhaz fighters attack, taking control of the village of ,olkhi#a 5*sakhara6% Georgian air force starts to bo b Gagra, res!lting in an$ civilian cas!alties% At a eeting in S!kh! E% Shevar#na#ze #eclares> 7Gagra al)a$s belonge# to !s an# it !st contin!e to belong to !s -- )e shall soon get it back%7 Abkhaz fighters liberate the ha let of 2eseli#ze 5Gechripsh6 an# set !p the Abkhaz flag on the Abkhaz-?!ssian bor#er% Georgian troops cross the *so! an# flee hea#long to ?!ssian territor$% &he$ s!rren#er their )eapons to the ?!ssian bor#er g!ar#s%

October 22, 1992 Georgian special forces in S!kh! b!rn #o)n the state historical archive of Abkhazia an# the archive of the (nstit!te of Abkhazian lang!age, histor$ an# literat!re% A short film about it! December 14, 1992 Georgian troops in the village of 2ata shoot #o)n a ?!ssian +(-@ helicopter )ith A. passengers, incl!#ing )o en an# chil#ren, all of )ho perish%

Secon# :ear of the War

July 27, 1993 An agree ent to en# the )ar is signe# in Sochi% August 9, 1993 (n a state ent sent to 9% :eltsin an# 9o!tros Ghali, -% Ar#zinba #ra)s attention to the conte pt )ith )hich the Georgian si#e is treating the Sochi agree ent, contin!o!sl$ shelling

Abkhaz ilitar$ #ivisions an# ignoring the ti etable for the )ith#ra)al of Georgian forces fro Abkhazia%

ilitar$

August 22 Accor#ing to a state ent b$ the Boint co ission for e=ercising control, the Abkhaz si#e ha# acte# in accor#ance )ith the ti etable for the p!lling back its forces, b!t the Georgian si#e #i# not f!lfill its obligation% August 24 9% :eltsin an# -% Ar#zinba eet in +osco)% &he ?!ssian presi#ent is that the Georgian si#e is ignoring the Sochi agree ent% a#e to !n#erstan#

September 16-24 &he final assa!lt b$ the Abkhaz fighters% "n 1Ath Septe ber the$ begin attacks on the Eastern front% "n 1/th of the the$ take control of the river G! sta% "n 2.th of the onth the$ or#er the Georgians to la$ #o)n their )eapons an# )ith#ra), #eparting via a safe corri#or, b!t the Georgians #o not ans)er% "n 21-2Ath of the onth crossfire contin!es on the ain streets of S!kh! % Abkhaz fighters attack s!ccessf!ll$ at "cha chira% September 30 Abkhazia is liberate#%