TBILISI. Sept 16 (Interfax-AVN) - Sixteen Georgian servicemen and one local resident were killed in the exacerbated situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone this August, Georgian Interior Minister Irakly Okruashvili said at the Georgian parliament on Thursday.
He also said that Georgian troops "bombed Tskhinvali." "Only after that, the separatists agreed to open a road to Georgian villages via Tskhinvali," he said.
The troops were withdrawn from the conflict zone as soon as that was done, the minister said.
"In fact, we made [South Ossetian leader Eduard] Kokoity realize that we would not put up with his impudent attacks and we would respond adequately with the use of force," the minister said.
He gave a positive estimation to the Georgian operation in South Ossetia.
"The Georgian authorities' actions to block contraband and protect local Georgians in South Ossetia were correct. Both tasks have been accomplished," he said.