Georgia, Tbilisi, Aug. 29 / Trend N. Kirtzkhalia /
The hostage release operation in the Dagestan section of Georgia has been completed, all the hostages were released, the Georgian Interior Ministry said today.
Three members of the special forces of the Georgian Interior Ministry were killed and five were injured in the clashes with saboteurs during the operation in the Lopota gorge.
According to the statement, roughly 11 members of the armed group were killed during the operation. The operation to arrest the remaining six militants is underway.
The saboteurs refused to surrender. As a result, the hostage release operation started.
The Georgian Interior Ministry is carrying out the operation to free the hostages and detain an armed group of saboteurs revealed near the border with Dagestan.
According to the information, a group of saboteurs who captured three groups of hostages consisting of civilians came through the border from Russia to Georgia. The group of hostages includes two or possibly three people.