VLADIKAVKAZ, September 5 (RIA Novosti) - A total of 502 refugees returned to South Ossetia from North Ossetia during the previous 24 hours, a spokesman for the Russian republic's Emergencies Ministry said Friday.
Vladimir Ivanov said 30,602 people had returned to South Ossetia from Russia's Southern federal district since August 12, when Russia concluded its operation to "force Georgia to peace."
The spokesman also said 6,545 South Ossetian refugees were currently staying with relatives in Russia's North Ossetia.
Moscow said hundreds of civilians were killed in Georgia's attack on South Ossetia on August 8, and thousands fled the devastated region.
A total of 225 people from South Ossetia remain in Russian hospitals.
On August 26, Russia recognized South Ossetia and another Georgian breakaway republic, Abkhazia, as independent states.
