The State Security Service of Abkhazia is the principal security and intelligence agency of Abkhazia.

History

On 27 November 1991, the Supreme Soviet of Abkhazia decreed to abolish the Abkhazian KGB and to establish the State Security Service. On 4 December 1992, the Supreme Soviet shortened its name to Security Service of Abkhazia. Until 1992, the State Security Service was led by Grigori Komoshvili. After the outbreak of the 1992–1993 war with Georgia, Komoshvili's Deputy Gennadi Berulava became the new head. In early October 1993, after the war had ended, he was dismissed and succeeded by Astamur Tarba. On 20 November 1992, during the war, the Abkhazian border guard was established.

Government of President Ardzinba

On 5 May 1997, President

Vladislav Ardzinba Vladislav Ardzinba ( ab, Владислав Арӡынба, ka, ვლადისლავ არძინბა; 14 May 1945 – 4 March 2010) was the first ''de facto'' President of Abkhazia. A historian by education, Ardzinba led Abkhazia t ...

decreed to rename the Service back to State Security Service of Abkhazia. After a bomb attack on 13 December 1999 in

Sukhumi Sukhumi (russian: Суху́м(и), ) or Sokhumi ( ka, სოხუმი, ), also known by its Abkhaz name Aqwa ( ab, Аҟәа, ''Aqwa''), is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the capital and largest city of ...

targeting government officials, Ardzinba dismissed Astamur Tarba and replaced him with First Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee

Raul Khajimba Raul Jumkovich Khajimba ( ab, Рауль Џьумка-иҧа Ҳаџьымба, ka, რაულ ჯუმკას-ძე ჰაჯიმბა; born 21 March 1958) is an Abkhazian politician, and served as President of Abkhazia from 25 September ...

. On 18 June 2001, Khajimba also became First Vice Premier, and on 1 November he was replaced as State Security Service Head by Interior Minister Zurab Agumava. On 2 April 2003, Agumava was replaced by Advisor to the President on Military Matters Givi Agrba. Agrba handed in his resignation on 15 June 2004 along with Foreign Minister

Sergei Shamba Sergei Shamba ( ab, Сергеи Шамба, ka, სერგეი შამბა) is a senior politician from Abkhazia. He is currently a member of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia and Chairman of United Abkhazia. He was Prime Minister of A ...

and First Vice Premier Astamur Tarba following the murder of opposition politician

Garri Aiba Garri Aiba ( ka, გარი აიბა, tr; died 9 June 2004) was an opposition leader in Republic of Abkhazia at the time of his murder. He died when his car came under fire on 9 June 2004. History Garri Aiba was a veteran of the 1992-199 ...

. Agrba's resignation was accepted by Ardzinba on 7 July and he was replaced by Mikhail Tarba.

Governments of Presidents Bagapsh and Ankvab

Following the Tangerine Revolution and the election of President

Sergei Bagapsh Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh, ka, სერგეი ბაგაფში, russian: Сергей Васильевич Багапш, translit=Sergey Vasilyevich Bagapsh (4 March 1949 – 29 May 2011) was an Abkhaz politician who served as th ...

in 2005, he appointed Iuri Ashuba as Security Service Head on 28 February 2005. After his December 2009 re-election, he replaced Ashuba with Aslan Bzhania on 23 February 2010. Bzhania remained Security Service Head following the death in office of Bagapsh and the 2011 election of

Alexander Ankvab Aleksandr Zolotinskovich Ankvab ( ; ab, Алықьсандр Золотинска-иԥа Анқәаб, ka, ალექსანდრე ზოლოტინსკის ძე ანქვაბი, russian: Алекса́ндр Золот� ...

Government of President Khajimba

After the May 2014 Revolution and Ankvab's forced resignation, Bzhania became the candidate representing the outgoing government in the August 2014 Presidential election. After his loss to opposition candidate

, he was replaced as Security Service Head by his deputy (and head of the Border Guard) Zurab Margania on 29 September.

References

{{authority control Government agencies of Abkhazia Intelligence agencies