The body of Georgian Army Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze arrived back in Georgia late on Wednesday 2nd January.
A transfer ceremony was held at Tbilisi International Airport and attended by Defence Minister of Georgia Irakli Alasania and other dignitaries, including US Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland.
Sergeant Kikadze went missing in Afghanistan on 19th December 2012. Following a 10-day search and rescue mission, his body was found on 29th December.
Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze was born in Borjomi on January 16, 1988. He joined the Georgian Armed Forces in 2009. After attending the basic combat training course in National Training Center “Krtsanisi”, Sergeant Kikadze was enlisted in the Artillery Battalion of II Infantry Brigade of GAF. He underwent a six-month pre-deployment training for the ISAF mission. He deployed to Afghanistan in October, 2012. This was his second deployment in Afghanistan.
The body of Georgian Army Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze has been found in Afghanistan following an intensive search and rescue mission.
Sgt. Kikadze disappeared from a military base on 19th December 2012, sparking a joint-service search effort.
Defence Minister of Georgia Irakli Alasania said earlier: "Today it is the hardest day personally for me, for the Defence Ministry and the Georgian Armed Forces. Today the body of Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze has been discovered. He went missing on December 19 and since then the search and rescue operation had been going on. We express condolences to the family of deceased Georgian soldier."
Below is the news announcement in Georgian language.
The Georgia Ministry of Defence has issued an update on the status of a soldier missing in Afghanistan since 19th December.
The SAR (Search and Rescue) operation is ongoing and the mission - involving Georgia and ISAF troops - is being led by Deputy Chief of Joint Staff of GAF, Brigadier-General Vakhtang Kapanadze.
The soldier was reported as missing on 19th December. Since then, a rigorous search mission has been in operation. Georgia currently has two battalions operating in Helmand province; 12/1 Infantry and 32/3 Infantry. 19 Georgian soldiers have died in Afghanistan since 2010.
Update:The body of Georgian Army Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze was found on 29th December 2012.
The Georgia Ministry of Defence has issued a statement concerning a Georgian soldier who has gone missing in Afghanistan.
The soldier disappeared on 19th December whilst serving with the Georgian Army in Helmand. The circumstances of his disappearance are as yet unknown. A Search and Rescue operation is currently underway.
Georgia has two battalions operating in Helmand province; 12/1 Infantry and 32/3 Infantry. 19 Georgian soldiers have died in Afghanistan since 2010.
Update: the body of Georgian Army Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze was found on 29th December 2012.
