Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Sukhumi

Overview

The Sukhumi massacre took place on 27 September 1993, during and after the fall of Sukhumi into separatist hands in the course of the War in Abkhazia. It was perpetrated against Georgian civilians of Sukhumi, mainly by militia forces of Abkhaz separatists and North Caucasian allies. It became part of a violent ethnic cleansing campaign carried out by the separatists.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Sukhumi massacre occurred during and after the fall of Sukhumi to Abkhaz separatist forces in the course of the War in Abkhazia. Georgian civilians in the city were targeted primarily by Abkhaz separatist militia and their North Caucasian allies. The violence formed part of a broader ethnic cleansing campaign against the Georgian population carried out by separatist forces. The fall of Sukhumi and the accompanying atrocities marked a decisive shift in the war, consolidating separatist control over the Abkhaz capital and driving large numbers of ethnic Georgians from the region.