You're reading: Georgia says 16 abducted by Ossetian group

LUXEMBOURG (AP) — Georgia says 16 of its citizens have been abducted by a South Ossetian group close to the border separating the two.

Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze briefed EU foreign ministers Monday on the situation in the region and also claimed Russia refuses to live up to the agreement that ended the brief August 2008 war between the two over breakaway regions.

Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states after the war and stationed thousands of its troops in both regions.

The South Ossetian government says the Georgians were detained Sunday after crossing into South Ossetian territory to collect firewood.