The News in Brief

Three Arrested in Pankisi Gorge on Islamic State-Linked Terrorism Charges

The State Security Service of Georgia arrested three Georgian citizens in the Pankisi Gorge area of eastern Georgia's Kakheti region on terrorism-related charges linked to the Islamic State group, the agency announced on May 19.

Speaking at a briefing, SSSG First Deputy Head Lasha Maghradze said the suspects were detained in a "large-scale operation" across the villages of Omalo, Birkiani, and Jokolo. According to Maghradze, the detainees "had joined the ranks of the terrorist organization Islamic State and were receiving instructions from a foreign country for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities." He added that they were attempting to form a so-called jamaat supporting the organization in Pankisi Gorge, recruit others into terrorist activities, hold covert meetings, and promote terrorist ideology.

Authorities seized several firearms, explosives, ammunition, mobile phones, computer equipment, electronic storage devices, an Islamic State flag, items bearing the organization's symbols, and personal documents. The investigation is ongoing under Articles 328 and 236 of Georgia's Criminal Code, carrying sentences of up to 17 years, and continues to identify other individuals allegedly involved.



Remains of Eleven People Missing From Abkhazia War Identified and Returned to Families

The remains of eleven people who went missing during the 1992-1993 war in Abkhazia have been recovered, identified, and handed over to their families, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced on May 18.

The identifications were made possible through the Coordination Mechanism on Persons Unaccounted For in Connection with the Events of the 1992-1993 Armed Conflict and After, which has operated with ICRC support since 2010 and involves Abkhaz and Georgian participants. A meeting was held at the Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau, where families met with representatives from the Office of the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, the bureau, and the ICRC, and received information about the search, recovery, and identification process.

A civil funeral service for the eleven, including nine civilians and two military officers, was held at Tbilisi's Holy Trinity Cathedral, where Georgian Dream-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili and State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equity Tea Akhvlediani paid their respects. The individuals will be buried with honors in family cemeteries across Georgia.

According to the state minister's office, identifications and repatriations of those missing from both the 1992-1993 Abkhazia war and the August 2008 war began in 2013. Since then, the remains of 740 people have been found, of whom 334 have been identified. Around 1,900 people are still considered missing.