New details have emerged regarding the special operation carried out in the village of Kabali. Family members confirmed to Interpressnews that during the police raid, the first shot was fired by 52-year-old Mirza Aliev, who, according to them, believed that burglars had broken into his home.

However, the family also accuses police of using excessive force, claiming that officers entered the house without warning.

At the same time, the relatives deny any connection between Aliev and the so-called “criminal underworld.”

“No one has told us why they stormed in or why they wanted to detain him. From what we know, when Mirza saw masked men entering, he thought they were burglars and fired. The special unit returned fire, killing him on the spot. You can see what condition the house is in — the walls and windows are riddled with bullet holes. We don’t believe Mirza had any ties to the criminal world,” the family members said.

Earlier today, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze announced that 34 individuals allegedly connected to the “criminal underworld” had been detained. According to him, during the operation, one of the suspects, Mirza Aliev, opened fire on police officers and was fatally shot in the ensuing exchange.

“During the operation in the village of Kabali, Lagodekhi district, one of the suspects, 52-year-old Mirza Aliev, against whom an arrest warrant had been issued, opened intensive fire on the special forces. One officer was seriously wounded in the chest. In response, police returned fire, resulting in Aliev’s death at the scene,” Darakhvelidze said.