A woman was killed when a land mine apparently exploded in the outskirts of the town of Gori, Georgian media sources reported on August 24.

A man was badly injured in a separate explosion shortly afterwards in the same vicinity.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on August 24 that the voluntary return of displaced persons to Gori and adjacent areas had already started. They warned returnees that they should “only go back to areas that have been cleared of mines and declared safe by authorities.”

“IDPs originating from villages and other areas not yet cleared by the authorities should be patient and refrain from returning as yet,” it said.

The UN refugee agency also said that its team had visited Gori this weekend to assess the situation in and around Gori. “UNHCR observed mine clearing actions and the re-establishment of Georgian police control over the town,” it said.