2001 Kodori crisis

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=2001 Kodori crisis
partof=the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict and Second Chechen War


caption=Map of Abkhazia showing the location of the Kodori Gorge
date=October 4 - October 18, 2001
place=The Kodori Gorge, Abkhazia
casus=
territory=
result=Abkhazian victory
combatant1=
combatant2= (Abkhazian claim [ [http://www.rferl.org/reports/caucasus-report/2001/10/35-221001.asp Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty ] ] )
commander1=Unknown
commander2=Ruslan Gelayev
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=
casualties3=At least 40 killed [ [http://www.rferl.org/reports/caucasus-report/2001/10/34-121001.asp Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty ] ]
notes=The 2001 Kodori crisis occurred when fighting flared in the Georgian separatist-controlled region, Abkhazia, in October 2001, as ethnic Chechen fighters launched an assault on breakaway Abkhazian forces in the Kodori Gorge. [ [http://hrw.org/wr2k2/europe9.html Human Rights Watch World Report 2002: Europe & Central Asia: Georgia ] ] The crisis was largely neglected by world media, focused on then-actual US attack on Afghanistan. The fighting killed 40 people. [ [http://www.rferl.org/reports/caucasus-report/2001/10/34-121001.asp Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty ] ]

Timeline

On October 4, 2001, a group of Chechen and Georgian fighters led by the commander Ruslan Gelayev entered the gorge from the Georgian side an attacked the village Giorgievskoe. [ [http://www.rferl.org/reports/caucasus-report/2001/10/34-121001.asp Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty ] ] Then, on October 8, 2001, a helicopter carrying United Nations observers was shot down over Kodori, killing nine. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1586098.stm BBC News | WORLD | UN helicopter shot down in Georgia ] ]

On October 18, 2001, Abkhaz Defense Ministry officials claimed their forces were again in full control of the lower, Abkhaz reaches of the Kodori gorge. The majority of the remaining members of what the Abkhaz and Russians have described as an invading Chechen/Georgian force have left Abkhazia, these officials said, presumably making their way back into Georgian-controlled territory. [ [http://www.rferl.org/reports/caucasus-report/2001/10/35-221001.asp Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty ] ]

References