Azernews.Az

An investigation has been started in Georgia against eight people to learn more about possible criminal actions during the 2008 war and the succeeding period, Attorney General of Georgia Archil Kbilashvil said on May 14.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the group will be staffed by officers of three state agencies of Georgia.

"Considering the importance, large volume and complexity of the criminal case, and the statute of the international criminal law, the Rome Statute and international commitments of Georgia, the Attorney General committed to conduct the criminal investigation to officers of the Prosecutor's Office, the Interior Ministry and the Military Police of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia. The investigation process will be supervised by the Acting Chief of Investigations of the Attorney General's Office Miranda Melkadze and the Deputy Head of the Legal Support Department of the Prosecutor General's Office Medea Rosebashvili," Prosecutor General's Office said.

Large scale military actions were launched in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military.

Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in late August. In response, Tbilisi broke diplomatic relations with Moscow and has called the two unrecognised republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.