Heavy fighting erupts in Caucasus

The UN Security Council is meeting in an emergency session after heavy fighting erupted between Georgian forces and South Ossetian rebels backed by Russia. At least 15 people have died already. Russian media reported that Georgian troops launched air-strikes on troop positions and a tank attack on the separatist stronghold of Tskhinvali just five hours after a ceasefire was agreed with Russian mediation. Later, Russian tanks entered South Ossetia while jets bombed a Georgian military base just outside Tbilisi.

The fighting may already have kick-started a diplomatic crisis between Russia and Georgia's Western allies. The US state department issued a statement which appeared to apportion blame to Moscow and South Ossetia rather than Georgia.

A spokesman said: "We're urging Moscow to press South Ossetia's de facto leaders to stop firing," a US State department official said. "We're urging Tbilisi to maintain restraint."