Moscow, 29 May 1997 (RFE/RL) - Russian news agencies report a man died today after a bomb went off in Sukhumi, the capital of Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia.
Abkhaz security chief Astamur Tarba is quoted as saying that a 55 year old was fatally injured in the explosion and later died in hospital. Tarba said also that sappers had earlier defused another bomb, planted at the entrance to the headquarters of the Russian peacekeepers' contingent in Sukhumi.
Tarba blamed the incidents on "Georgian extremists" and said that a security council emergency meeting was underway.
Separatists in Abkhazia unilaterally proclaimed independence from Georgia in 1992 and later routed Georgian government troops from the region. Russia has deployed some 2,500 peacekeepers in the region under a mandate from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Abkhaz security chief Astamur Tarba is quoted as saying that a 55 year old was fatally injured in the explosion and later died in hospital. Tarba said also that sappers had earlier defused another bomb, planted at the entrance to the headquarters of the Russian peacekeepers' contingent in Sukhumi.
Tarba blamed the incidents on "Georgian extremists" and said that a security council emergency meeting was underway.
Separatists in Abkhazia unilaterally proclaimed independence from Georgia in 1992 and later routed Georgian government troops from the region. Russia has deployed some 2,500 peacekeepers in the region under a mandate from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).