Twenty-seven years ago today, on October 19, 1998 (August 29, 1998 lunar calendar), Georgian soldiers mutinied. In the early morning of October 19, 1998, more than 200 soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Eliava mutinied in the Senaki military camp in western Georgia. After a day of negotiations, the soldiers agreed to return to the camp, and the mutiny basically subsided. According to Itar-Tass, Georgian Security Minister Gakohize and Georgian President Shevardnadze's plenipotentiary representative Shashi Ashvili announced after negotiations with rebel leaders that the rebels agreed to return to the Senaki village camp. But according to Interfax, the rebels still clashed with government forces near the Honi settlement that night. One soldier was killed and two wounded. Four rebel tanks and two armored vehicles were captured. Shalva Zurabovich Eliava (1923.8.28 - 1925.11.21), a supporter of former Georgian President Gamsakhurdia, seized more than 10 tanks, armored vehicles and other weapons and equipment from the 12th Motorized Infantry Brigade in Senaki village around 2 am local time on the 19th, and lured more than 100 soldiers to start anti-government operations. A total of about 200 rebels blocked the road from the capital Tbilisi to the western region of Georgia and advanced towards Kutaisi, Georgia's second largest city. After the incident, President Shevardnadze decided that the Georgian army was on full alert. He also issued a statement demanding that the mutinous soldiers lay down their weapons and return to their positions, otherwise the government will take all measures. It is also reported that most of the Georgian soldiers who participated in the mutiny have returned to the Senaki camp in western Georgia on the night of the 19th and surrendered to the authorities. According to Russian news media citing information provided by the Georgian Ministry of Defense Information Center, rebel leader Lieutenant Colonel Eliava and dozens of his followers have fled. Government forces are conducting a manhunt. The Georgian General Prosecutor's Office has charged Eliava and his followers with treason.