Georgian officer reported killed close to Russian post near South Ossetia

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
An officer has been killed by gunfire close to a Russian checkpoint near South Ossetia, Georgian police said Wednesday. Interior Ministry official Shota Utiashvili said the gunfire came from the direction of a Russian checkpoint but it was unclear who fired. Utiashvili said the policeman was at a Georgian checkpoint about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from the Russian checkpoint. He died later at hospital. The Russian checkpoint was on a main road leading to the Russian-backed separatist province of South Ossetia.