Emzar Kvitsiani

Emzar Kvitsiani (born April 25, 1961, Chkhalta, Abkhaz ASSR, Georgian SSR) was a Georgian warlord in the Kodori Gorge.

2006 Kodori crisis

A former envoy of Eduard Shevardnadze in the gorge, he declared disobedience to president Mikheil Saakashvili who succeeded Shevardnadze after the Rose Revolution. When government forces, who came to Kodori gorge to disarm Kvitsiani and roughly 200 supporters, they were met with armed resistance. Kvitsiani opened fire on the Special Forces, who were jointly commanded by the Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili and Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili. In the aftermath of the operation, Kvitsiani fled the scene, leaving a considerable amount of weapons behind, including Russian Igla and Strela anti-aircraft guns. It is suspected that Kvitsiani received these weapons and other support from Abkhaz separatists, who are themselves well supported by Russia.fact|date=August 2008 Kvitsiani is wanted by Georgian Police, who have offered a reward of 100,000 Lari (approximately 60,000 USD) to whoever provides information concerning his whereabouts or helps police capture the militiaman.