2008 war inquiry: General Kurashvili says earlier evacuation would have reduced casualties

Georgian Parliament’s Temporary Investigative Commission examining alleged crimes committed by the former United National Movement Government between 2003 and 2012 on Friday reviewed the 2008 August War with Russia.

During a session, the Commission member Ilia Injia asked General Mamuka Kurashvili, the Head of the Peacekeeping Operations Headquarters at the time, whether an earlier evacuation would have resulted in fewer or more casualties.

Kurashvili responded: “There would have been fewer casualties”.

Kurashvili also noted that the Joint Staff had been informed about the civilian evacuation from the conflict zone.

“How do you imagine this? Should I have raised an alarm without consulting the Security Council, the General Staff and started knocking on doors? Until the last moment, we tried to avoid the conflict. If you start an operation, you warn and evacuate”, Kurashvili said.

The parliamentary Commission continues its work in examining the circumstances surrounding the 2008 August War, with testimonies from key figures involved during the conflict.