The EU Monitoring Mission has sadly to announce the death today of the driver of a MediClub ambulance accompanying one our patrols near Eristskali, close to the Abkhazian administrative boundary line. The details of the incident remain unclear at present but around 11.00am this morning one of our armoured vehicles carrying out a routine patrol was slightly damaged by a mine explosion, the accompanying ambulance was also damaged and the driver injured by the explosion; unfortunately despite being taken to hospital, he died of his injuries shortly afterwards.
The Head of EUMM Ambassador Haber has commented:
“I would like to send my sympathy to the family and friends of the MediClub driver who died today. The EUMM has an agreed mandate to carry out unhindered patrols in the areas adjacent to the administrative boundary line. We are still looking into the details of this incident, but I would like to make clear that any unprovoked attacks on our unarmed monitors and their patrols, going about their legitimate duties, are completely unacceptable.
We intend to contact the authorities on both sides of the administrative boundary line to investigate the details of this incident and ensure that nothing like this happens again.”