Georgian media, Civil.ge, reports that President Saakashvili, during a televised meeting with Interior Minister and Defense Minister in Kvareli, Kakheti region, said that deadly crash at border was an attempt of Provocation.
According to Saakashvili, those who have organized it had several tasks.
One of the tasks, as he thinks, was to test combat readiness of Georgian troops, since started from 2008 war, Georgian troops had not been engaged in combat operation of this scale and Saakashvili noted that he is glad to see a progress in their troops and added:
“The second task, I think, was to stage a provocation and I think that they failed in that too,” and noted that incidents of this kind “directly or indirectly usually serve as a pretext for our country’s invader.”
The source informs that Saakashvile has stressed that the gunmen should be buried “with observance of their Muslim traditions.”
In the end Saakashvile said that he is not happy for the killed gunmen and added:
“We are not Russian troops; we should pay relevant respect to killed gunmen”.
Note, the Georgian Interior Ministry released on August 30 video footage showing dead bodies of several alleged militants in camouflage fatigues with their faces obscured. Anti-tank rocket launchers, assault and sniper rifles, machine guns and ammunition were also shown in the footage.