President Saakashvili hailed the Interior Ministry for, as he put it, “repelling a group of saboteurs and terrorists” in the Tbilisi-controlled areas of breakaway Abkhazia and instructed law enforcement agencies to give “an even tougher response” in the event of a reoccurrence.

Two Abkhaz militiamen were killed, two injured and seven others captured after a clash on September 20, according to Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili. Initial reports said that six were captured. Merabishvili briefed President Saakashvili about the incident at a government session held on September 21 in the western Georgian city of Kutaisi.

The minister said that Georgian Interior Ministry forces intercepted a group of 15-16 militiamen, armed with assault rifles and Mukha grenade launchers, close to a strategic road in the Georgian-controlled upper Kodori Gorge on September 15. The road, which is currently under construction, will ensure an overland connection between Georgia proper and the gorge.

Merabishvili also pointed out that the scene of the shootout is also close to a strategic airfield.

“It was a group of saboteurs sent, at a minimum, on a reconnaissance mission,” Minister Merabishvili told the president. “It was a special purpose unit of the so-called Abkhaz security services which is deployed in Sokhumi.”

He also said that one of the militiamen killed in the clash was the commander of the group.

Earlier on September 21 Tbilisi-based Rustavi 2 TV reported that at least four captured militiamen were ethnic Russians; Minister Merabishvili, however, neither confirmed nor denied the report.

Later on the same day, the Interior Ministry posted on its website the names of those captured: Roland Chabava, Muhamedin Kichoev, Suren Dilenian, Irakli Khorava, Zurab Muradian, Jambul Ovanesian and Koba Cherkesia. 

The Abkhaz side claims that the incident took place on Abkhaz controlled territory, with Georgian forces attacking an Abkhaz border guard training camp in the Tkvarcheli district.

After the briefing President Saakashvili said: “We should be grateful to our special forces and the police for this very precise and professional operation.”

He said it was a group of “saboteurs and terrorists.” “Maybe others would call them something else, but we know that they are terrorists,” he added.

“Well-done on this operation,” Saakashvili told Minister Merabishvili, “and continue in this manner.”

Despite the latest flare-up, the president said that Tbilisi wanted a peaceful dialogue and would spare no efforts to prevent a large-scale conflict.

“However," he warned, "our state agencies will respond to provocations.”

“I think our detractors have failed to understand so far that they should not play with us,” he said. “We are determined and well-prepared to defend our country… If someone wants to turn Georgia into a permanent conflict zone, we will punch them in the teeth.”

He also said that sending out a group of saboteurs, which, he said, had been “trained by foreigners,” was not the first case of provocation in Abkhazia.

Saakashvili recalled the March 11 attack on upper Kodori Gorge and said it was “carried out by – we should say it bluntly – helicopters which came from Russia.”