Residents of South Ossetia pay tribute to victims of 2008 conflict

The mourning rally held in central Tskhinvali brought together some 700 people. As declared by President of South Ossetia, in 2016 the republic will start erecting a memorial complex.

On August 8, 2008, warfare of Georgia against South Ossetia broke out. Soon Russia interfered into the conflict. Active military actions lasted for five days. After that, Russia stated that the operation to force Georgia to peace was over; and on August 26, Russian President signed decrees on recognition of independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by the Russian Federation.

The mourning events on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the 2008 conflict were held in South Ossetia on August 7, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

In the course of the march held in central Tskhinvali, pupils carried photos of the perished peaceful residents. During the action "We'll remember all..." in Theatre Square they placed nameplates of the Ossetian villages completely destroyed or burned down in the period from 1991 to 2008.

"As a result of military conflicts and wars, 116 Ossetian villages ceased to exist. Their population was either killed or became refugees; and people never returned to their former residences," a member of the organizing commission said during the commemorative action.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.