Shoot-out kills six in South Ossetia

A shootout erupted between Georgian and separatist forces near Tskhinvali in the breakaway region of South Ossetia overnight on 1-2 August 2008. Six people -- five local residents and a peacekeeper -- were killed, and up to 22 others were injured. The two sides have traded blame for instigating the incident, which was the worst such episode of violence to occur in the region in recent years. Meanwhile, several Georgian villages that are located in the Georgian controlled part of the South Ossetian conflict zone were shelled overnight on 2-3 August, injuring six locals and one Georgian police officer. At least 2,500 people have evacuated the area since the eruption of violence. Local officials in South Ossetia have described the current situation as "relatively calm" but "very tense."