Gali clashes

The Gali clashes were armed fighting in May 1998 between Abkhaz forces and Georgian guerrillas in Gali District, Abkhazia. The fighting displaced tens of thousands of civilians.

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War in Abkhazia (1992–1993): A war between Georgian government forces and Abkhaz separatists that ended with Abkhaz control of most of Abkhazia. Its outcome left Gali District under Abkhaz control while many displaced Georgians sought to return.
White Legion: A Georgian guerrilla group active in Abkhazia during the 1990s. The group was among the armed actors associated with the Gali insurgency.
Gali District return movement: The postwar return of ethnic Georgian displaced people to their homes in Gali District, often without secure legal status. The clashes interrupted returns and made residents' safety and status more precarious.
May 1998 Gali offensive: The Abkhaz military operation in May 1998 to suppress Georgian guerrilla activity in Gali District. The offensive marked the central phase of the clashes and precipitated mass flight.
Abkhaz-Georgian conflict: A prolonged political and armed conflict over Abkhazia's status and its relationship with Georgia. The clashes were a renewed episode of this unresolved conflict.
Forest Brothers (Abkhazia): A Georgian guerrilla formation that operated in Abkhazia after the 1992–1993 war. Its operations formed part of the armed challenge facing Abkhaz authorities in Gali.
Abkhaz-Georgian ceasefire: The 1994 agreement that ended large-scale fighting between Georgian and Abkhaz forces without settling Abkhazia's political status. The Gali fighting exposed how fragile the postwar ceasefire remained.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1187: A 1998 Security Council resolution addressing the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, and condemning violence and displacement in Gali. The resolution recorded international concern over the renewed fighting and its civilian consequences.
Gali District: A district in southern Abkhazia, bordering the rest of Georgia and populated largely by ethnic Georgians. The clashes occurred in this strategically sensitive border district.
Abkhaz armed forces: The military forces of the de facto Abkhaz authorities. Their counteroffensive against guerrillas drove much of the May fighting.