Georgian militants used a church as a weapon emplacement when attacking Tskhinvali

19 August 2008, 16:09

Vladikavkaz, August 19, Interfax - Georgian soldiers used an Orthodox church as a weapon emplacement when attacking South Ossetia.

"Georgian militants located its headquarters in Georgian Orthodox church in the Tskhinvali district and fired from it," chair of the Russia's Islamic cultural center Abdul-Vahed Niyazov said as he headed the Muftis' Council delegation to North and South Ossetia and met with eyewitnesses of the recent military actions.

According to him, peaceful Tskhinvali residents sheltered in the church "and were subjected to bombing and this was done on purpose."Niyazov said that the Council of Muftis planned to urge Muslim Islamic community "to support Russian humanitarian mission completed in such a difficult situation."

Head of the Department for regional religious organizations of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of the European Part of Russia Arslan Sadriyev noted at the press conference that the country's mosques collected donations to help victims of the Georgian - South Ossetian conflict.

Sadriyev believes, the most blasphemous act was shelling Orthodox churches of South Ossetia with people sheltered in and destructing architectural sites of the Byzantium period.

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