TBILISI. Jan 20 (Interfax-AVN) - The Georgian patrol police will replace Interior Ministry Force units in the volatile Pankisi gorge in the next few days, a source in the Georgian Police and Public Order Protection Ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
"Selection of personnel for the patrol police is nearing completion. The police will replace the Interior Ministry Force in the Pankisi gorge and deploy its headquarters in the locality of Duisi," the source said.
The Interior Ministry Force has been in control of the situation in the Pankisi gorge for four years. "The decision to replace them was made proceeding from the fact that the situation in the gorge is under reliable control of the Georgian authorities," he said.
According to the source, seven checkpoints of the Interior Ministry Force are already removed, and the force personnel are vacating barracks. The checkpoints were placed in the gorge in December 2000 due to the tense situation in the area.
"Up to 300 servicemen have left the gorge in the past few days, and only a few officers are guarding the material and technical unit until it is handed over to the police," the source said.
He declined to name the exact number of policemen that will control the gorge. "Their strength will be sufficient for keeping the situation stable," he said.