Georgia said Russia violated ceasefire deal

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has accused Russia of attacking the town of Gori violating the ceasefire deal where tanks were supposed to retreat to positions they held before the fighting took place in the region of South Ossetia last Thursday.

Eyewitnesses have reported Russian tanks patrolling the streets of Gori shooting anyone who comes near them. Some eyewitnesses said seeing Russian soldiers taking positions along the side of the road, while other witnesses near Gori said Russian backed militias were going house to house seeking people out and killing them. However, this has not been confirmed.

A Reuters corresponded has reported seeing a convoy of Russian vehicles on the road to the Georgian capital Tbilisi. Georgian refugees from the region spoke of looting by South Ossetians and Russian militias.

Russian official has denied Georgian allegations.

"No Russian troops or armour are moving towards Tbilisi," Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy head of Russia's general staff, told Reuters.

However, President Saakashvilli said during a press conference, "As I speak now, Russian tanks are attacking Gori."

Under the ceasefire agreement, both countries said they would withdraw to positions held before the fighting, cease all military action and allow humanitarian aid to enter the conflict zone.

Sources: Reuters, BBC news