Georgian defense ministry has confirmed the information about the detention of four Georgian soldiers in Znauri district but the officials say the soldiers were kidnapped by separatists, reported PNA.
Mamuka Kurashvili, Georgian MoD official in charge of overseeing peacekeeping operations in the conflict zones, stated at the briefing held at the Ministry of Defence of Georgia on July 8 that four servicemen from the logistics battalion of the MoD were abducted by an illegal armed gang, consisting of South Ossetian and North Caucasian militiamen.
He also said that all four soldiers should be released without any preconditions.
"The Georgian state is doing its best to achieve their release," Kurashvili stated.
De-facto authorities of Tskhinvali and the South Ossetian Information and Press Committee reported that Ossetian Militia have detained four Georgian military persons in Znauri district (Georgian-S.Ossetian conflict zone).
Irina Gagloeva, Head of Information and Press Committee, asserts that one of them wore military uniform of general stuff of the Georgian Defence Ministry.
The committee reports that detainees are Zviad Berikashvili, colonel , Nikolao Megralishvili, corporal and two others Givi alimberashvili and Ramaz Kulishvili - sergeants.
According to the preliminary information obtained during the investigation, the detainees were conducting a reconnaissance operation related with artillery fire correction," the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee.