As the snow starts melting on the Caucasus, fears grow that Chechen armed groups might penetrate into the Georgian territory from Russia’s rebel Republic of Chechnya. To avoid the scenario of the last year, when Georgia balanced on the brink of the military aggression by Russia on the pretext of such incursions, the Georgian authorities are launching a new phase of anti-crime operations in the Pankisi gorge and reinforce the border with Russia.

President Eduard Shevardnadze has announced that the new phase of anti-crime operation in Pankisi gorge must maintain stability and security in the gorge achieved during the previous campaign in August-November last year, and should prevent the new armed groups from crossing into the country in spring.

“[The new phase of the] operation will ensure security of the civilian population and Chechen refugees in Pankisi. At the same time the gorge would be swept of remaining minor criminal groups and prevent further penetration of the armed groups to the gorge,” President Shevardnadze said in his Monday radio broadcast on February 24.

According to the Georgian State Security Ministry up to 700 Chechen and 100 Arab militants found shelter in Pankisi during the 1999-2002, including some notorious warlords linked to Al Qaeda.

At a press conference on February 21, Chairman of the National Security Council Tedo Japaridze said that the next week the Council will discuss plan of the new anti-criminal campaign in Pankisi.

Japaridze said that re-launching of the anti-criminal activities is connected with increased risk of inflow of Chechen terrorist to the country in spring.

“As soon as the snow starts melting, Chechen fighters will attempt to enter our territory,” Japaridze said.

The Chairman of the Security Council also said that additional units of the internal troops will be dispatched to the gorge. As in the previous campaign, the Interior Ministry will be playing the key role in this operation, but the State Security and the Defense ministries will be involved in the operation as well.

“A new phase of the anti-crime operation does not consider carrying out any mop-up operations in the gorge. Currently the situation in the gorge is very stable. In connection to the possibility of inflow of the armed groups, the Interior Ministry was instructed to strengthen control over Pankisi. The units of the internal troops are patrolling the gorge every day,” Paata Gomelauri, Spokesman for the Interior Ministry, told Civil Georgia on February 24.

At the same time the State Border Guard Department is building up security along the Ingush, Chechen and Dagestan parts of the Georgian-Russian state border.

“Increased security means installation of additional checkpoints on these parts of the border line, where the threat of inflow of armed groups is highest,” Eka Dondua, acting Spokesperson for the State Border Guard Department, told Civil Georgia on February 24.

The additional checkpoints will be set up in the first half of spring, but their exact number is unknown.

The Georgian government claims that there are only Chechen refugees and local residents in Pankisi gorge at the moment. “There are no armed groups in the gorge,” Secretary of the Georgian National Security Council said. However, in his Monday interview President Shevardnadze said “several dozens” of criminals may still be hiding in the area.

Official Tbilisi gives wide publicity to the new phase of the campaign in an effort to pre-empt re-emergence of the Russian accusations for sheltering the terrorists. As a measure of transparency, Georgian law enforcers welcomed the delegation of the Euro-parliament to Pankisi gorge on February 24 to examine the current situation.

By Giorgi Sepashvili, Civil Georgia