Sergey Bagapsh, the secessionist Abkhaz president, said Abkhazia had partially mobilised troops to defend against a possible Georgian incursion, Interfax reports.

The statement follows an earlier one by Bagapsh's representive in the Gali district, Ruslan Kishmaria, in which he claimed Georgian troops were moving towards the administrative border. Kishmaria said 17 Georgian military vehicles with troops from Senaki military base and around 160 special forces soldiers had been stationed close to the Abkhazia border by the Georgian authorities.

Abkhaz officials said earlier today that at least three Abkhaz militiamen had been injured in an explosion and subsequent shootout in the Gali district, which is close to the administrative border. There is no independent confirmation of the incident and no other details have emerged.

The escalation in tension follows the arrest of a Georgian journalist at a bridge linking Abkhazia with the rest of Georgia on 26 February. Abkhaz authorities have accused him of spying. President Mikheil Saakashvili called on the secessionist authorities to immediately release him or face dire consequences.

Earlier, on 26 February, the Chief of Staff of the Abkhaz armed forces said military exercises involving 100 pieces of artillery, 2000 reserve troops and a tank batallion were planned for 1-5 March. Because of the "escalating situation," Abkhaz officials announced the drills would start immediately.

UNOMIG, the UN Observer Mission in the conflict zone, has warned in January that unconfirmed media reports were contributing to tension in the region.