The 2008 Georgian Attack on South Ossetia

On the night of 7 August, 2008, following days of escalating tension, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili went on television and assured the frightened civilian population of South Ossetia that he was implementing a cease fire. For the first time in weeks, the residents of Tskhinval felt safe enough to go to bed.

Less than two hours later, Saakashvili launched a devastating attack on the South Ossetian capital, using cluster weapons and other offensive hardware. Over the next few days, hundreds of South Ossetians were killed and thousands of homes, factories and schools were destroyed. Tens of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes and at least 80 percent of the country's industrial capacity was destroyed. The most serious war atrocities took place on Zar Road, where Georgian troops fired on and killed South Ossetian civilians trying to flee the fighting. (see Zar Road Massacre)

If not for the intervention of Russia, which sent in troops to protect its peacekeepers and its citizens, South Ossetia would have been annihilated by Georgia's troops.

In September, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission of the Conflict in Georgia, which was appointed by the European Union, released its long-awaited report on the August war. The mission supported South Ossetia's contention that Saakashvili started the war, in violation of international law. The report also suggested that the United States and its NATO allies had contributed to the tension in the Caucasus by providing hundreds of millions of dollars in arms and military support to Georgia. To read the EU report, please go to www.ceiig.ch.

Since the war, the Republic of South Ossetia, with the assistance of Russia, has focused on rebuilding its war-damaged infrastructure and returning people to their homes. Hundreds of homes, schools, factories and utilities have been reconstructed. (see War Damages Fact Sheet)