Georgia: Regional leader targeted by blast

TBILISI, Georgia, July 3 (UPI) -- The head of the Georgia-controlled region of South Ossetia survived an assassination attempt Thursday in the form of an exploding mine, authorities said.

A South Ossetian administration spokesman said regional head Dmitry Sanakoyev was traveling to a conference when a remote-controlled mine apparently detonated near his vehicle, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti said.

"A mine exploded as Sanakoyev was traveling by car from (the city of) Kurta to Batumi to attend an international conference," the spokesman said. "According to preliminary information it was a remote-controlled mine."

Sanakoyev was not injured in the apparent assassination attempt, but three security guards did receive unspecified injuries, the spokesman said.

A Joint Peacekeeping Forces deputy commander told RIA Novosti the incident in the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict zone was being investigated.

South Ossetia has been in conflict with Georgia since 1991, when the region declared its independence from the country. That conflict has been blamed for hundreds of deaths, the Russian news agency said.