Georgia: Five arrested in Abkhazia over ties to Islamic State June 9

Event

Five Tajik citizens have been arrested on Thursday, June 8 in Abkhazia on suspicion of having ties to the Islamic State (IS), according to reports by the Abkhaz security service. The arrest was reportedly made in coordination with the Russian intelligence agencies.

The detainees were transferred to Russia for processing.

Context

The Administrative Boundary Line (ABL), which separates the Abkhazia region from Georgia, is controlled by Russian border authorities and the FSB. Abkhazia broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s during the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia was able to acquire de facto control of the region, and of a second breakaway Georgian region, South Ossetia, following a brief war against Georgia in 2008.

Advice

Individuals in Georgia are advised to avoid the border region with Abkhazia.