Bloody clashes erupted yesterday in the breakaway Georgian province of Adzharia when militiamen beat protesters rallying against the region's leader, Aslan Abashidze. The Georgian president, Mikhail Saakashvili, responded by calling Mr Abashidze a "mad dog feudal lord" and ordering Adzharian police to disobey the "criminal orders" of their leader, as fears grew that the violence would lead to military intervention in the region.
| I think that'll eventually be necessary, but if the Georgians can talk the Adzharians into dumping Abashidze on their own that'll be better... |
The clashes erupted outside the university in the Adzharian capital, Batumi, yesterday morning when up to 300 protesters were attacked by camouflaged loyalists of Mr Abashidze firing water cannon. Witnesses said as many as 15 people were hurt. The authorities said the protest was illegal because of a state of emergency. But protesters continued to defy the crackdown last night, with several hundred staging a new rally calling on Mr Abashidze to step down. There were also unconfirmed reports that some of the Adzharian police had agreed to follow Mr Saakashvili's instructions and ignore Mr Abashidze's orders.
| Banking on Saakashvili being around longer than Abashize, are they? |
Mr Abashidze's regime has already said it believes the conflict will end in war.
| Unless he gives a war and nobody comes... |
On Sunday, Mr Saakashvili gave the Adzharian authorities an ultimatum to disarm their militia and recognise his rule by May 12. If these demands are not met, Mr Saakashvili has said he will remove Mr Abashidze and call new elections.
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