The destruction of civilian facilities in South Ossetia continued for a few days after the Tskhinvali region, according to official reports, Russian troops entered. These satellite images proof neighborhoods capital made on 19 August - that is, after nine days after Tskhinvali and neighboring strategic heights were brought under control by South Ossetia and Russia.
As the Reuters, images, which were analyzed by experts the American Association of advancing scientific research (AAAS) and human rights organization Human Rights Program did not provide the answer, what of the parties - Georgia and Russia - engaged in the destruction of homes and infrastructure, but is believed headed analysis Amnesty International, will help prove the commission of war crimes.
As a representative of Amnesty International said Ariela Blatter, "these pictures do not lie - further destruction of civilian objects, took place from 10 to 19 August, will help determine exactly who was responsible for protecting civilians from attacks by militants."
"The destruction of civilian infrastructure stresses the need for the international community has begun an independent investigation into the circumstances of the conflict with the participation of all parties involved" - she said.
Lars Bromli, who heads the AAAS project on the use of satellite imagery to monitor the situation in conflict zones, said that to get pictures to prove the facts of human rights violations, it was quite difficult. "We can use only a few commercial satellites, but because the images they can order virtually any person with a sound card, the task has proven difficult," - he said.
"These images will shed light on how much damage was caused to Tskhinvali, and surrounding villages at a time when Russian troops control the situation, and what - when the territory was under the control of the Georgian army," he said.
According to Reuters, images made from space on 10 August and 19 August, show that 424 civilian facility near Tskhinvali were August 10, but August 19 they had already been destroyed. In Tamarasheni 152 buildings that were not damaged on 10 August, were destroyed on 19 August. Amnesty International also points out that the pictures confirmed that more than 100 houses in Tskhinvali were fired during the first Georgian attack.
Agency while recalled that Russia counter-attacked Georgia 7 and 8 August, after Georgian troops attempted to quell the point of shelling of Georgian villages from Tskhinvali. Russia accuses it of Georgian troops in the destruction of much of civilian targets in the area.
In public, however, there are only snapshots, dated August 19, they are presented in the format. Pdf and can be found here.
Highlights of destruction in the vicinity of the village Kehvi, for example, recorded a total of 627 injured civilians. Of those, 479 - destroyed, and 148 - is seriously damaged.
On another map shows the degree of destruction in the villages of Kehvi to Tskhinvali - as a percentage of damaged and pristine areas.
In connection with data from satellites, international human rights activists point to the need to investigate the information according to which South Ossetia and its surroundings act organized armed groups that carry out attacks against civilians, burning houses and looting, passes NEWSru Israel.
"Clearly, both sides have shown a disproportionate use of force - said at a briefing in Washington representative of Human Rights Watch Anna Neystat. - But most of the looting and burning property of people, as well as attacks on civilians, carried out the South Ossetian militia members and criminals who gave free rein to the territory controlled by Russian forces. "
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