Abkhazia residents block railway

Residents of Abkhazia's Ochamchirsky region have blocked a railroad in the village of Baslakhu and are refusing to let 13 cars containing some 700 tons of coal through and on to Turkey.

Apsnipress said the residents are protesting against the pollution of the river Aaldzga caused by coal extraction carried out by Turkey's Tamsash company.

The protestors are demanding that the company ceases extracting coal and that local authorities take steps to control the situation.