Recent satellite images released by the UN program UNOSAT confirm that widespread torching of ethnic Georgian villages inside South Ossetia has occured, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on August 29.

It said that detailed analysis of the damage depicted in five ethnic Georgian villages around Tskhinvali – Tamarasheni, Kekhvi, Kvemo Achabeti, Zemo Achabeti and Kurta - shows that the destruction “was caused by intentional burning and not armed combat.”

“The high-resolution images of these villages show no impact craters from incoming shelling or rocket fire, or aerial bombardment,” HRW said.

It also noted that the map showed active fires in the mentioned villages on August 10, 12, 13, 17, 19 and 22 – “well after active hostilities ended in the area on August 10.”

Geneva-based UNOSAT program is part of the UN Institute for Training and Research and produces satellite-derived mapping in support of UN agencies and the international humanitarian community.