Rebels Down Jetliner in Georgia, Kill 28

TBILISI, Georgia — Abkhazian rebels in a gunboat shot down a passenger jet Tuesday as it tried to land at the besieged Georgian city of Sukhumi, officials said. All 28 people aboard were killed.

The twin-engine TU-134, carrying Russian and Georgian civilians, crashed into the Black Sea after being shot down, the officials said.

It was one of the worst incidents involving civilians in the war between Georgia and separatists in its Abkhazia region. More than 3,000 people have been killed since Abkhazia declared sovereignty from the Tbilisi government a year ago, including more than 100 this week alone, officials said.

The 22 passengers and six crew members on the jet were civilians, officials said.