Georgia wants to bring South Ossetia back under its control

Georgian television reported intense shooting near the front line on Sunday.

The territory has seen growing tension recently, with fears of a return to the civil war of the early 1990s.

But earlier this month Russia, Georgia and South Ossetia agreed not to use force to try to end their simmering territorial conflict.

Tensions were raised earlier this month when Georgian troops detained a convoy of Russian peacekeeping vehicles they claimed were smuggling arms to the region, while separatists held a group of Georgian soldiers hostage for 24 hours.

South Ossetia split from the rest of Georgia during a civil war at the end of the Soviet era and now wants to join Russia.

SOUTH OSSETIA Profile: South Ossetia

The BBC's Chloe Arnold says a fragile peace held for 12 years, but tensions flared when the new Georgian President, Mikhail Saakashvili, pledged to reunite his fractured country.

He said he would bring South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway region, back under central authority.

The United States has appealed to all sides for calm.

Washington is backing the construction of a multi-billion dollar oil pipeline in the volatile region.