MOSCOW, December 29 (AVN) - The CIS Collective Peacekeeping Forces in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone have rebuffed 24 attacks on their checkpoints and registered 36 murders of locals this year, a spokesman for the CIS military co-operation co-ordination headquarters said on Friday.
Despite remaining tensions in the area, over 60,000 refugees returned from the Zugdidi district to the Gala district this year, the spokesman told the Military News Agency. Most of the returning refugees are Georgians, he added.
In addition to everyday peacekeeping missions, the forces are engaged in search and lifting of mines, the spokesman went on. This year, sappers have lifted and eliminated some 5,000 explosive devices of various types, increasing the total number of defused bombs, mines and shells to 22,000.
Since their arrival in the conflict zone in June 1994, CIS peacekeepers have rendered harmless 1,126 anti-tank mines, 1,548 anti-personnel mines, 426 artillery shells and over 18,000 home-made explosive devices.