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| Georgia surrounds rebel capital | Georgia surrounds rebel capital |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Georgia says its troops have surrounded the capital of separatist South Ossetia as Russia warns further aggression would lead to retaliation from Moscow. | Georgia says its troops have surrounded the capital of separatist South Ossetia as Russia warns further aggression would lead to retaliation from Moscow. |
| Fighting around Tskhinvali resumed overnight, breaking a ceasefire deal, and bombardments are continuing. | Fighting around Tskhinvali resumed overnight, breaking a ceasefire deal, and bombardments are continuing. |
| Georgian President Mikhail Saakasvili has called on reservists to sign up for duty and accused Russia of sending fighter jets to bomb Georgian towns. | Georgian President Mikhail Saakasvili has called on reservists to sign up for duty and accused Russia of sending fighter jets to bomb Georgian towns. |
| At least 15 civilians are said to have died as well as several Russian troops. | At least 15 civilians are said to have died as well as several Russian troops. |
| Residents of Tskhinvali are reported to be sheltering in basements as massive explosions rock the city. Both sides blame each other for breaking the ceasefire. | Residents of Tskhinvali are reported to be sheltering in basements as massive explosions rock the city. Both sides blame each other for breaking the ceasefire. |
| This is very sad and very disturbing and, of course, this will provoke actions in response Vladimir PutinRussian Prime Minister | This is very sad and very disturbing and, of course, this will provoke actions in response Vladimir PutinRussian Prime Minister |
| A spokesman for the Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia told Interfax news agency that Georgian shells directly hit barracks in Tskhinvali, killing several peacekeepers. | A spokesman for the Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia told Interfax news agency that Georgian shells directly hit barracks in Tskhinvali, killing several peacekeepers. |
| Irina Gagloyeva, a South Ossetian official in Tskhinvali, described the scene in the beseiged city overnight after the Georgian military action started. | Irina Gagloyeva, a South Ossetian official in Tskhinvali, described the scene in the beseiged city overnight after the Georgian military action started. |
| "Virtually all the people of the city are in shelters, myself included. It started at midnight, and has barely stopped for a minute," she told the BBC. "Can you hear? That's rockets. All my windows have blown out. Thirty-five thousand residents of our capital have become the hostages of Georgian fascism." | "Virtually all the people of the city are in shelters, myself included. It started at midnight, and has barely stopped for a minute," she told the BBC. "Can you hear? That's rockets. All my windows have blown out. Thirty-five thousand residents of our capital have become the hostages of Georgian fascism." |
| The international Red Cross says it is trying to secure a "humanitarian corridor" to the area to take in ambulances to retrieve wounded civilians. | |
| Russian fighters | Russian fighters |
| Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze said Georgia had simply run out of patience with attacks by separatist militias in recent days and had had to move in to restore peace in South Ossetia. | Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze said Georgia had simply run out of patience with attacks by separatist militias in recent days and had had to move in to restore peace in South Ossetia. |
| SOUTH OSSETIA Population: About 70,000 Capital: Tskhinvali Major languages: Ossetian, Georgian, Russian Major religion: Orthodox Christianity Currency: Russian rouble, Georgian lari Caucasus on alertClashes reignite war fears | SOUTH OSSETIA Population: About 70,000 Capital: Tskhinvali Major languages: Ossetian, Georgian, Russian Major religion: Orthodox Christianity Currency: Russian rouble, Georgian lari Caucasus on alertClashes reignite war fears |
| Georgia accuses Russia of arming the separatists who have been trying to break away since the civil war in the 1990s. Moscow denies the claim. | Georgia accuses Russia of arming the separatists who have been trying to break away since the civil war in the 1990s. Moscow denies the claim. |
| Russia called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to respond to the crisis, but members failed to agree on a Russian statement calling on both sides to renounce the use of force. | Russia called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to respond to the crisis, but members failed to agree on a Russian statement calling on both sides to renounce the use of force. |
| Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has convened his national security council and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised a response to what he called Georgian aggression. | Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has convened his national security council and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised a response to what he called Georgian aggression. |
| The defence ministry issued a statement saying: "We will not allow the peacekeepers and citizens of the Russian Federation to be hurt." | |
| The BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow says Russia has always said it supports the territorial integrity of Georgia but has also said it would defend its citizens. Many South Ossetians hold Russian passports. | The BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow says Russia has always said it supports the territorial integrity of Georgia but has also said it would defend its citizens. Many South Ossetians hold Russian passports. |
| Hundreds of fighters from Russia and Georgia's other breakaway region of Abkhazia are reportedly heading to aid the separatist troops. | Hundreds of fighters from Russia and Georgia's other breakaway region of Abkhazia are reportedly heading to aid the separatist troops. |
| Mr Saakashvili's claims of Russian jets bombarding Georgian targets have been rejected by Russia and have not been independently confirmed. | |
| Georgia says its aim is to finish "a criminal regime" and restore order. | Georgia says its aim is to finish "a criminal regime" and restore order. |
| Georgia's Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze told reporters on Friday the military operations would continue until there was "a durable peace". | Georgia's Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze told reporters on Friday the military operations would continue until there was "a durable peace". |
| "As soon as a durable peace takes hold we need to move forward with dialogue and peaceful negotiations," he told reporters. | "As soon as a durable peace takes hold we need to move forward with dialogue and peaceful negotiations," he told reporters. |
| Appeal for talks | Appeal for talks |
| South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity told Interfax news agency his forces were still in control of the city, but Georgia claims to have Tskhinvali surrounded. | South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity told Interfax news agency his forces were still in control of the city, but Georgia claims to have Tskhinvali surrounded. |
| The Russian envoy to the UN, Vitaliy Churkin, described Georgia's actions as "treacherous". | The Russian envoy to the UN, Vitaliy Churkin, described Georgia's actions as "treacherous". |
| "The situation in the conflict zone has reached a dramatic line," he told the emergency session, according to Russian Vesti TV news. | "The situation in the conflict zone has reached a dramatic line," he told the emergency session, according to Russian Vesti TV news. |
| "Civilians, old people and children are under massive artillery shelling from Grad rocket systems, guns and large-calibre mortars." | "Civilians, old people and children are under massive artillery shelling from Grad rocket systems, guns and large-calibre mortars." |
| Despite failing to agree a text, many council members did call on the parties to pull back. | Despite failing to agree a text, many council members did call on the parties to pull back. |
| China, where the Olympic Games opens on Friday, called for worldwide truce during the sporting event. | China, where the Olympic Games opens on Friday, called for worldwide truce during the sporting event. |
| Nato and the US have called for an immediate end to the fighting and direct talks between the parties. | |
Are you in South Ossetia or elsewhere in Georgia? Have you been caught up in events? Send us your comments using the form below: | Are you in South Ossetia or elsewhere in Georgia? Have you been caught up in events? Send us your comments using the form below: |