In February and March 1993, during the Georgian-Abkhazian war, Labra was looted and destroyed by Georgian forces, who subjected inhabitants to torture, rape and murder.[2][3][4][unreliable source?] These and similar events in other villages convinced the Armenian population of Gagra District, who had resolved to stay neutral, to join the Abkhazian side of the war, forming the Bagramyan Battalion.[3][4][unreliable source?]
^The political status of Abkhazia is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Georgia in 1992, Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by 5 UN member states (two other states previously recognised it but then withdrew their recognition), while the remainder of the international community recognizes it as de jure Georgian territory. Georgia continues to claim the area as its own territory, designating it as Russian-occupied territory.
