South Ossetia delivers 152 captives to Georgia

The exchange of prisoners goes with difficulties, as David Sanakoev, Ombudsman in South Ossetia who is in charge of the process told journalists yesterday, on August 28. In total, within the time of negotiations, 152 persons were handed over to the Georgian party.

As of today, the Georgian counterparts have delivered 41 persons and two bodies of casualties; the South-Ossetian party has handed over 43 bodies, David Sanakoev said.

He has appreciated the big contribution made by Supreme Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg, thanks to whom two prisoners were handed over to the Georgian party.

The Ombudsman said that now South-Ossetians have no Georgian prisoners. So far, the parties have exchanged the lists of persons they keep.

In answer to journalists' questions about the most blatant violations of human rights revealed, David Sanakoev said: "Tanks, which have entered the city, were shooting point-blank at dwelling districts; and the infantry that followed the tanks dropped grenades into cellars where peaceful residents tried to hide."

Mr Sanakoev narrated how militaries shot dead people in cellars, and tanks opened fire on running people.

"The whole Zarsk Highway, along which people tried to runaway, is crossed with tank traces, people were crushed down by tanks; others were torn into pieces. They were mostly women and children. It was impossible to evacuate wounded persons from under bombardment in order to render medical aid to them. Because of that many people perished," he said.