August 19, 2008 | Read Time: 1 minute
Goga Aptsiauri, a correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, is one of only a handful of journalists reporting from the town of Gori, in central Georgia, since it was seized by Russian forces a week ago.
Mr. Aptsiauri writes on his blog today that aid has just arrived from the U.N. World Food Programme. He says: “They’ve brought two huge KamAZ trucks full of aid to Gori. After consulting with the local administration, the decision was made to send those trucks to Bojuri valley, to the villages of Bobnevi and Bojuri, where most Gori residents sought refuge.”
Among other findings on his blog, which is updated several times a day:
— Russian troops have not pulled out, although the troop commander said they would depart soon.
— International journalists have been allowed in and are speaking with Gori residents.
— More people are returning. A local official estimates the current population at 15,000, or about triple the figure of two or three days ago. Gori was home to around 50,000 people before the conflict.
