2008 Achamkhara incident

2008 Achamkhara incident
Part of Georgian-Abkhazian conflict
Date July 9, 2008 Location Mount Achamkhara, Gulripsh district, Abkhazia Result Aggravation of tensions
Belligerents
Abkhazian military	Georgian military
Strength
	~10 soldiers (Abkhazian claims)
Casualties and losses
2 wounded (Abkhazian claims) 4 dead (Georgian claims)	3 wounded (Georgian claims)

The 2008 Achamkhara incident refers to the armed confrontation, that took place on July 9, 2008, on the flanks of Mount Achamkhara in the internationally unrecognised Republic of Abkhazia, between Abkhazian and Georgian troops.

Background

At the time of the incident, Mount Achamkhara was located near the de facto border between the self-declared Republic of Abkhazia and the formerly Georgian-controlled Kodori Gorge.

The incident

The claims of both sides are different, with conflicting versions of the events and there isn't any independent confirmation, on what took place.^[1]

The Abkhazian view

Abkhazia claims, that at 9:25 a.m., its security post on Mount Achamkhara was raided by around 10 Georgian attackers, using automatic weapons and grenade launchers. Two of its reservists were injured and had to be hospitalised.^[2][3]

The Georgian view

Georgia claims, that its policemen were attacked by Abkhazian troops, while they were securing the Achamkhara heights in anticipation of a UNOMIG visit to the Kvabchara Valley. It further claims, that 3 of its police officers were injured and they in turn had killed 4 Abkhazian assailants.^[1][3]

UNOMIG investigation

Both sides appealed to the UNOMIG, with the wish to investigate the incident, which was started on June 10. It hasn't revealed anything yet.^[1][2][3]

References

Abkhaz–Georgian conflict
Timeline	Abkhazian side	Georgian side
1989 Sukhumi riots 1991 Abkhazian New Union Treaty referendum 1991–1993 Georgian Civil War 1992–1993 War in Abkhazia 1992 Battle of Sukhumi October 1992 Battle of Gagra 1992–1993 Siege of Tkvarcheli July 1993 Kamani massacre September 1993 Transair Georgia airliner shootdowns September 1993 Sukhumi massacre Ethnic cleansing of Georgians 1993 Sochi agreement 1993–2009 United Nations observer mission 1994 Moscow agreement 1998 War in Abkhazia 2001 Kodori crisis 2006 Kodori crisis 2007 Georgia helicopter incident 2007 Georgia plane downing incident 2007 Bokhundjara incident 2008 Georgian spy plane shootdowns 2008 Khurcha incident 2008 Abkhazia bombings 2008 Achamkhara incident 2008 Russo-Georgian War Battle off the coast of Abkhazia Battle of the Kodori Valley 2008 Post-war events 2009 Russo-Georgian relations 2014 Abkhazian revolution	Military forces: Military of Abkhazia Abkhazian Air Force Bagramyan Battalion Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus Key leaders: Vladislav Ardzinba Sergei Bagapsh Alexander Ankvab Raul Khajimba	Military forces: Georgian Armed Forces Georgian Air Force Coast Guard of Georgia Mkhedrioni White Legion Forest Brothers Key leaders: Zviad Gamsakhurdia † Eduard Shevardnadze Mikheil Saakashvili Giorgi Margvelashvili

Coordinates: 43°08′09″N 41°04′20″E / 43.135721°N 41.072109°E / 43.135721; 41.072109