Georgia says gorge 'under control'

More than 1,000 Georgian troops were recently deployed to the gorge near the border with Russia's war-torn Chechnya region to flush out what Georgia describes as criminal elements.

Russia believes the area is used as a hideout by Chechen rebels and the United States suspects Islamic militants of also using it as a base.

Pankisi Gorge
Home to the Kists, a Muslim community with ethnic links to the Chechens
Local non-Muslims say they have been forced to move out by Chechen refugees
Chechen rebels have long used the gorge as a base
The US believes that al-Qaeda militants may also be active there

A spokesman for the Georgian Security Ministry, Nika Laliashvili, said the fight against militants there would be "relentless and uncompromising" and would shortly feature "specific operations".

Georgian troops have detained seven people so far in the week-old operation, including a man described as an Arab carrying a French passport and six criminals.

Mr Shevardnadze has said several dozen Chechen guerrillas may still be in the gorge, including ethnic Arabs.

Russian pressure

Georgia has rejected Russia's calls for permission to send its own forces into the Pankisi Gorge to pursue Chechen militants seeking refuge there.

"Russia won't get our agreement for an operation by Russian security services in the Pankisi Gorge," President Shevardnadze said at the weekend.

Moscow has been accused of mounting air strikes on the gorge, the latest of which, this month, left one civilian dead and seven wounded.

Georgia began a military sweep of the gorge shortly afterwards, but reported no resistance.

Suspect

Washington has provided Georgia with military instructors to help combat the perceived threat from radical Islamic militants there.

An Arab man arrested during the security operation on suspicion of militant links has now been identified as Halid Oldali.

The Georgian Security Ministry said that Mr Oldali, who was carrying a French passport believed to be fake and wearing a military uniform under his outer clothes, came to Georgia in 1999 and fought on the rebel side in Chechnya.

A criminal investigation has now been opened against him for alleged ties with a foreign terrorist organisation, the ministry said.