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{{Distinguish||text=[[Guerrilla war in the Baltic states|the "Forest Brothers" in the Baltic States]]}}{{Short description|Ethnic Georgian guerilla group in Abkhazia}} |
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The '''Forest Brothers''' |
The '''Forest Brothers''' ({{lang-ka|ტყის ძმები}}, ''tq'is dz'mebi'') were a [[guerrilla]] group consisting mostly of ethnic [[Georgians]] who remained in the breakaway republic of [[Abkhazia]] after the [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]] regular army's defeat in the [[War in Abkhazia (1992–93)|War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)]]<ref name=STRATFOR>{{cite web|url=http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=258429 |title=Georgia: The Threat of Attacks as a Diplomatic Tool |date=11 November 2005}}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}, Stratfor</ref><ref name=JANES>{{cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jir/jir010906_1_n.shtml |title=Security deteriorates along the Abkhazia-Georgia ceasefire line |date=6 September 2001 |website=Jane's Information Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://groong.usc.edu/ro/ro-20011201.html |title=Fighting in Georgia Redraws Twisted Alliances |website=Groong Research & Analysis Group |access-date=2007-11-15 |archive-date=2012-02-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208172141/http://groong.usc.edu/ro/ro-20011201.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and resisted the [[ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia|ethnic cleansing of Georgians]] in the disputed territory. |
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The group, along with another guerrilla group called the [[White Legion]], continued low-intensity guerrilla war against Abkhaz forces along the |
The group, along with another guerrilla group called the [[White Legion]], continued low-intensity guerrilla war against Abkhaz forces along the ceasefire line in the late 1990s and the early 2000s.<ref name=STRATFOR /> According to the Georgian Interior Ministry, under the cover of its [[guerrilla warfare]], the Forest Brothers engaged in [[kidnappings]], [[smuggling]] and other crimes.<ref name=civil6206/> |
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The Forest Brothers were led by [[Dato Shengelia]],<ref name=JANES /> who disbanded the group after [[Mikheil Saakashvili]] was elected [[President of Georgia]] in January 2004. On 4 February, the police arrested a large number of Forest Brothers in [[Zugdidi]]. On 11 February, Shengelia declared that he had reached an agreement with Interior Minister [[Giorgi Baramidze]] to lay down his arms.<ref name=civil6206>{{cite news |title=Guerrilla Group Surrenders Arms |url=http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=6206 |accessdate=25 February 2011 |newspaper=[[Civil Georgia]] |date=11 February 2004 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721030301/http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=6206 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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The White Legion was led by Dato Shengelia.<ref name=JANES /> |
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In December 2006, Shengalia was arrested for the possession of [[heroin]] and [[methadone]],<ref name=civil6206/> and was convicted to 24 years of imprisonment. However, he was released in 2010 on account of bad health. On 22 February 2011, the Abkhazian delegation at the 25th meeting on incident prevention in [[Chuburkhindji]] questioned his release and demanded his extradition from the Georgian side for various serious crimes.<ref name=uzel181399>{{cite news|author-last=Kuchuberia |author-first=Anzhela |title=Абхазия требует от Грузии выдачи Дато Шенгелия |language=ru |trans-title=Abkhazia demands extradition of Dato Shengelia from Georgia |url=http://abkhasia.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/181399/ |access-date=25 February 2011 |newspaper=[[Caucasian Knot]] |date=22 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811022825/http://abkhasia.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/181399/ |archive-date=11 August 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=rferl2318752>{{cite news|author-last=Fuller |author-first=Liz |title=Abkhazia Asks Georgia To Hand Over Former Guerrilla Commander |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/abkhaz_ask_georgia_to_hand_over_ex-guerrilla/2318752.html |access-date=26 February 2011 |newspaper=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]] |date=23 February 2011}}</ref> |
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==In popular culture== |
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The 1995 novel ''[[Our Game]]'' by [[John le Carré]] features a group of [[Ossetians|Ossetian]] mercenaries known as "The Forest," which may have been based on the Forest Brothers. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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{{Georgia-stub}} |
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{{Mil-unit-stub}} |
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{{Georgian-Abkhazian conflict}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Guerrilla organizations]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Military units and formations of Georgia (country)]] |
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Latest revision as of 02:55, 17 May 2024
The Forest Brothers (Georgian: ტყის ძმები, tq'is dz'mebi) were a guerrilla group consisting mostly of ethnic Georgians who remained in the breakaway republic of Abkhazia after the Georgian regular army's defeat in the War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)[1][2][3] and resisted the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in the disputed territory.
The group, along with another guerrilla group called the White Legion, continued low-intensity guerrilla war against Abkhaz forces along the ceasefire line in the late 1990s and the early 2000s.[1] According to the Georgian Interior Ministry, under the cover of its guerrilla warfare, the Forest Brothers engaged in kidnappings, smuggling and other crimes.[4]
The Forest Brothers were led by Dato Shengelia,[2] who disbanded the group after Mikheil Saakashvili was elected President of Georgia in January 2004. On 4 February, the police arrested a large number of Forest Brothers in Zugdidi. On 11 February, Shengelia declared that he had reached an agreement with Interior Minister Giorgi Baramidze to lay down his arms.[4]
In December 2006, Shengalia was arrested for the possession of heroin and methadone,[4] and was convicted to 24 years of imprisonment. However, he was released in 2010 on account of bad health. On 22 February 2011, the Abkhazian delegation at the 25th meeting on incident prevention in Chuburkhindji questioned his release and demanded his extradition from the Georgian side for various serious crimes.[5][6]
In popular culture
[edit]The 1995 novel Our Game by John le Carré features a group of Ossetian mercenaries known as "The Forest," which may have been based on the Forest Brothers.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Georgia: The Threat of Attacks as a Diplomatic Tool". 11 November 2005.[permanent dead link], Stratfor
- ^ a b "Security deteriorates along the Abkhazia-Georgia ceasefire line". Jane's Information Group. 6 September 2001.
- ^ "Fighting in Georgia Redraws Twisted Alliances". Groong Research & Analysis Group. Archived from the original on 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ a b c "Guerrilla Group Surrenders Arms". Civil Georgia. 11 February 2004. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ^ Kuchuberia, Anzhela (22 February 2011). "Абхазия требует от Грузии выдачи Дато Шенгелия" [Abkhazia demands extradition of Dato Shengelia from Georgia]. Caucasian Knot (in Russian). Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ^ Fuller, Liz (23 February 2011). "Abkhazia Asks Georgia To Hand Over Former Guerrilla Commander". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 26 February 2011.