Eurasia

TSKHINVALI, Georgia (Reuters) – Russian troops and tanks took the capital of the separatist Georgian region of South Ossetia on Sunday after a bloody three-day battle as Georgian forces retreated and offered a ceasefire.

KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged the world on Sunday to target the Taliban in Pakistan, adding that operations by foreign troops in his country had only led to civilian deaths among Afghans and not success in the war.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – More than 100 Islamist militants and nine Pakistani soldiers were killed in fierce fighting over the last four days in the tribal region of Bajaur, a military spokesman said on Sunday.

BEIJING (Reuters) – The White House warned Russia on Sunday that military escalation in the Georgia conflict could have a “significant, long-term impact” on relations between Washington and Moscow.

(Reuters) – Following are developments in Georgia at 1030 gmt on Sunday: — A senior Russian defense official said Russian troops controlled most of Tskhinvali, the South Ossetian capital.

TBILISI (Reuters) – Russia has started an operation to storm the Georgian-controlled Kodori gorge in Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia, the Georgian Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The commander of the 58th Army that spearheaded the Russian counter-attack in Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia was injured by shrapnel and is undergoing treatment in hospital, Itar-Tass news agency said.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian warships are not planning to block shipments of oil from Georgia’s Black Sea port of Poti, but reserve the right to search ships coming to and from it, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said on Sunday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Georgian troops have not been defeated and are still fighting in and around the separatist region of South Ossetia to prevent Russian troops from making further advances, a senior Georgian official said on Sunday.

BRESSANONE, Italy (Reuters) – Pope Benedict called on Sunday for an immediate halt to the fighting between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway South Ossetia region and urged world powers to help find a peaceful solution.