The attack occurred on Wednesday morning near the town of Gudauta when Ankvab was going to work in the capital of the region, Sukhumi, Abkhaz Chief of State Security Services Anri Bogua said.
A remote controlled mine blew up as the presidential cortege was making its way to the city, hitting an escort vehicle. One car was completely burnt out and a deep crater was formed at the site of the explosion. The tabloid website LifeNews reported that bodyguards shielded the president from gunshots that followed the explosion. One of the guards was killed and another was seriously injured.
This is the fifth assassination attempt on the pro-Russian Abkhaz president since 2005. Two unsuccessful attacks were carried out that year. In 2007, he received slight concussion and a shrapnel wound to the back when his car was fired on with a grenade launcher and in 2009 he was injured when his house was attacked with a grenade launcher.
The tiny mountainous region on the Black Sea coast declared independence from Georgia in 1999, although, the situation there remains tense and Tbilisi continues to regard it as part of its territory.
