Another organization, Medical Teams International, in partnership with Project HOPE was also in the process of preparing an additional shipment of supplies, when they were informed late in the week that shipments have been put on hold.

On Aug. 18, Medical Teams International had announced that the organization was preparing more than $100,000 in medical supplies to airship to families caught in the conflict between Russia and the former soviet republic of Georgia. On Aug. 21, Project HOPE informed Medical Teams International that the State Department flights to Georgia are now on our hold.

According to reports, Georgia has been flooded with medicines and medical supplies from European countries and the Georgian Ministry of Health is trying to keep with inventorying and distributing the products before more flights come in.

“The shipment has been put on hold, so the supplies haven’t left our warehouse,” said Barbara Agnew, media representative for Medical Teams International. “We will keep the antibiotics, pain relievers and other emergency supplies in our warehouse until we hear an update from Project HOPE.”

Georgia, which borders Russia, is a former Soviet republic. It declared its independence in 1991 after the collapse of communism.

The conflict began when Georgia launched a military strike on the province of South Ossetia, as an aim to reclaim it after 16 years of semi-independence. In response, Russia sent in troops and armored tanks.

Fighting broke out Aug. 8 between Russia and the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

Prior to that time, relations between Moscow and Georgia were tense because Moscow continually tries to reassert influence over its bordering nations, while Georgia has aligned itself with the West.

Since the fighting began, The United States, NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe called for a halt in hostilities and urged Georgia, Russia and South Ossetia to seek a more peaceful resolution.

CNN reported on Aug. 22, that Russian troops are in the final phase of their withdrawal from Georgian territory. A Russian military spokesman said it would be completed by late Friday,

Col. Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn said Russian troops are in full compliance with the cease-fire agreement. He confirmed that Russia's military had suspended cooperation with NATO because of the rift over its actions in Georgia.

According to reports, the number of casualties has not been yet been released. There are conflicting reports in regard to the actual number of deaths.