South Ossetia to Temporarily Close Checkpoints with Georgia

TSKHINVALI, South Ossetia - Georgia’s Breakaway region South Ossetia announced Wednesday that it will close the checkpoints located near the contact line separating the area from Georgian government control.

According to the South Ossetian KGB, pro-Moscow rebel authorities in the separatist capital Tskhinvali will increase security measures beginning May 25 - including the closure of the checkpoints - as schools celebrate the end of the academic year, known as the Last Bell Day post-Soviet republics.

“Due to increased security measures for Last Bell Day, citizens will not be allowed to cross South Ossetia’s administrative border. The checkpoints will resume work on May 26,” the separatist security services said.

Georgian government forces fought three wars against Russian-backed separatist forces in Abkhazia and South Ossetia between 1991-2008.

The wars left thousands dead and led to the ethnic cleansing of a quarter of a million ethnic Georgians.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia were recognized as independent states by Moscow following the 2008 war.

International law and the United Nations continue to state that the regions remain parts of Georgia.

By Tamar Svanidze
Edited by Nicholas Waller

Photo: Sputnik/ Evgeny Yepanchintsev