Mine blast in breakaway Abkhazia’s Gali district killed one local policeman and two civilians, including a woman, on January 29, the Russian news agencies reported quoting Abkhaz officials.

Four police officers and three civilians were wounded in the explosion, which occurred in the village of Chuburkhinji of predominantly Georgian-populated Gali district of the breakaway region.

“This is a deliberate act against employees of the Gali police,” RIA Novosti news agency reported quoting interior minister of the breakaway region, Otar Khetsia. “Explosion occurred after the policemen arrived in a yard of one of the houses in the village of Chuburkhinji to probe into reported burglary. One thing is clear, that it was a pre-planned operation aimed at destabilization of situation in the Gali district.”