TBILISI, Georgia, August 02, SPA -- Overnight fighting that includedsniper and mortar fire between Georgian forces andseparatists in the breakaway South Ossetia region left sixpeople dead and 13 wounded, regional officials saidSaturday. The fighting _ from Friday evening and through Saturdaymorning _ was one of the most serious outbursts in thetensions that have plagued South Ossetia since it split offfrom Georgia after fighting in the mid-1990s, the Associated Press reported. Georgia says it opened fire in response to South Ossetianattacks on several villages that left five civilians and apolice officer injured. South Ossetia government spokeswoman Irina Gagloyeva saidsix people were killed and 13 wounded in the fighting, butshe did not say which side they were on or specify if theywere civilians, troops or law enforcement. Gagloyeva told The Associated Press that Georgian forcesstarted the fighting around 6 p.m. Friday with snipersfiring on the northern portion of the republic's capital,Tskhinvali, and on several of its forces' posts. The firinglasted about three hours, then paused and resumed withmortar fire that lasted until about 8 a.m. (0400 GMT), shesaid. Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili saidSouth Ossetian forces began the clash by firing on at leastthree villages in Georgia-controlled territory.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/578860