Azerbaijani State Border Service on Incident Between Georgians and Local Guards

"Georgian citizens provoked an incident against Shamkir border group of Border Troops of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan (SBS) in their service territory at about 02:50 p.m", the Azerbaijani media has reported citing the State Border Service of Azerbaijan.

Press Service of the State Border Service has issued a statement on the incident occurred in Keshikchidagh, the part of David Gareja monastery complex.

Report informs that the statement reads:

"The incident occurred against Azerbaijani border guard by the citizens of Georgia in the territory of Keshikchi gala located at the Shamkir border post of State Border Service on 14 July at 14:50.

The incident was eliminated in a short time by taking immediate measures and security was provided in the area by SBC staff.

A meeting was held between the border guards of Azerbaijan and Georgia, the incident was investigated jointly and measures were discussed to prevent this situation in the future."

According to the statement released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, there was a "small incident" between locals and Azerbaijani border guards on the Davit-Gareji section, though the situation was defused timely and now is "calm on the ground."

On July 14, information was spread through social media that the situation was tense at David Gareji. Namely, public activists said that Azerbaijani border guards took icons from the Monastery and handed them to Georgian guards, signifying that the territory no longer belongs to the Georgian side. Locals then forced the Azerbaijani border guards from the territory. Now public activists claim that the situation is calm at David Gareji.

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By Ana Dumbadze