The

Georgian Armed Forces The Defence Forces of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალები, tr), or Georgian Defence Forces (GDF), are the combined military forces of Georgia, tasked with the defense of the nation's indep ...

mutiny of October 1998 was an abortive attempt of a rebellion organized by a group of officers led by Colonel

Akaki Eliava Akaki Eliava ( ka, აკაკი ელიავა; 1952 – 9 July 2000) was a Georgian military officer involved in the Georgian civil war, 1993. Supporter of the ousted president Zviad Gamsakhurdia, he staged an abortive revolt against the gov ...

in western Georgia against the government of

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Eduard Shevardnadze Eduard Ambrosis dze Shevardnadze ( ka, ედუარდ ამბროსის ძე შევარდნაძე}, romanized: ; 25 January 1928 – 7 July 2014) was a Soviet and Georgian politician and diplomat who governed Georgia for ...

. The mutiny had its roots in the

Georgian civil war The Georgian Civil War lasted from 1991 to 1993 in the South Caucasian country of Georgia. It consisted of inter-ethnic and international conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as the violent military ''coup d'état'' ...

of 1991–1993. Akaki Eliava, a leader of the revolt, was among the most active supporters of the late president

Zviad Gamsakhurdia Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia ( ka, ზვიად გამსახურდია, tr; russian: Звиа́д Константи́нович Гамсаху́рдия, Zviad Konstantinovich Gamsakhurdiya; 31 March 1939 – 31 December 1 ...

, who was ousted in a coup in 1992 and defeated in a subsequent attempt to regain power in 1993. Eliave was arrested, but later granted amnesty and he rejoined Georgia’s armed forces. On October 18, 1998, approximately 200 Georgian soldiers led by Eliava left their barracks at the town of

Senaki Senaki ( ka, სენაკი; xmf, სანაკი) is a town in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, western Georgia. It is located at around between the rivers Tekhura/i and Tsivi, at an elevation of 28–38 meters above sea level. Senaki is ...

in western Georgia and marched on

Kutaisi Kutaisi (, ka, ქუთაისი ) is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the third-most populous city in Georgia, traditionally, second in importance, after the capital city of Tbilisi. Situated west of Tbilis ...

, the second largest city in the country. The government forces under the personal command of Defense Minister

David Tevzadze David Tevzadze ( ka, დავით თევზაძე) (born 30 January 1949) is a retired Georgian lieutenant general who was the country’s Minister of Defense from April 1998 to February 2004. Education and academic career Born in Sukhu ...

intercepted the rebels before reaching the city. Next day, after a brief shootout which left at least one rebel dead, the mutineers agreed to return to their barracks. 31 rebels were arrested, but Colonel Eliava and his 30 followers escaped.

Sources

"Georgian mutiny collapses"
BBC News, October 20, 1998.

Military history of Georgia (country) Georgian Attempted Mutiny, 1998 Conflicts in 1998 Mutinies October 1998 events in Asia {{Georgia-hist-stub