SUKHUMI. Oct 12 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian peacekeepers in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone are prepared "for any provocations," their commander Nikolai Sidorychev told Interfax on Friday.
About half of the men stay in trenches during the night, he said
"We will continue to do what is required under the mandate of peacekeeping forces until the CIS Council of Heads of State decides otherwise," Sidorychev said.
The force's Post 302 has been reinforced because it covers the only road along which rebels may infiltrate the Kodori Gorge from Georgia, he said. A group of 37 gunmen tried to drive into the gorge on Thursday, Sidorychev said. The peacekeepers found mortars in their cars and false documents and could not possibly let the group through, he said. He knew nothing of an exchange of fire in the area.
In the Kodori Gorge itself, Abkhazians are continuing their operation against guerrillas, Sidorychev said. On Thursday alone they captured eight rebels who had earlier fought Russian federal units in Chechnya, he said.
Abkhazian units are now holding the initiative, Sidorychev said.
An Abkhazian checkpoint between Posts 205 and 211 of the Russian peacekeeping force came under fire early on Friday, he said.