War in Abkhazia

The armed conflict of 1992–1993 between Georgia and Abkhaz separatists backed from outside; it ended with the loss of Abkhazia and the mass expulsion of the Georgian population.

1992

The 1992–1993 War in Abkhazia began in August 1992 and was fought between Georgian government forces and Abkhaz separatists, who were supported by armed groups from the North Caucasus and by Russia.

In the autumn of 1993 Georgian forces withdrew from Sukhumi; mass expulsions and killings of ethnic Georgians followed. The expulsion of Abkhazia's Georgian population was recognised as ethnic cleansing in OSCE summit declarations (Budapest 1994, Lisbon 1996, Istanbul 1999); around 250,000 people lost their homes.

After the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, Russia recognised Abkhazia's independence. Today only four UN member states recognise it: Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Syria; the other 189 of the 193, Georgia among them, regard Abkhazia as part of Georgian territory occupied by Russia.