It consisted of inter-ethnic and international conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as the violent military coup d'état against the first democratically-elected President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, and his subsequent uprising in an attempt to regain power.

While the Gamsakhurdia-led rebellion was eventually defeated by the Eduard Shevardnadze-led government, the South Ossetia and Abkhazia conflicts resulted in the de facto secession of both regions from Georgia.

During the dissolution of the Soviet Union, an opposition movement in Georgia organized mass protests starting in 1988, culminating in a declaration of sovereignty in May 1990 and independence on April 9, 1991, which was recognized in December.

Meanwhile, ethnic minority separatist movements, primarily on the part of the Ossetians and the Abkhaz, demanded greater autonomy or secession from Georgia.

In August 1991, the Georgian National Guard launched a mutiny against President Zviad Gamsakhurdia and seized a government broadcast station in September.

A stand-off followed as the sacked National Guard leader Tengiz Kitovani's armed supporters withdrew to the outskirts of Tbilisi where they remained until late December 1991.

On 6 January 1992, President Gamsakhurdia with other members of his government was forced to flee first to Armenia and then to Chechnya, where he led a form of government-in-exile for the next 18 months.

The supporters of the ousted president, the "Zviadists", responded to the coup with spontaneous street demonstrations, which were brutally suppressed by the government forces and paramilitary groups.

The armed "Zviadists" actually prevented the new government forces from gaining control of Gamsakhurdia's native Samegrelo region, which became the stronghold of the overthrown president's supporters.

Numerous acts of violence and atrocities committed by the Mkhedrioni and government forces in this region contributed to further confrontation between the local population and Shevardnadze's regime.

Following the coup and armed clashes in western Georgia, Aslan Abashidze, the leader of southwestern autonomous province of Adjara, closed an administrative border and prevented both sides from entering Adjarian territory.

Kobalia's militia fought on the Georgian side near the village of Tamish in Abkhazia and played an important role in defeating the Abkhaz-North Caucasian commandos.

At the same time, they stirred their activities in anticipation of the fall of Sukhumi and public discontent with Shevardnadze's policy which they expected to follow (as they openly stated).

In September 1993, Zviad Gamsakhurdia took advantage of the struggle in Abkhazia to return to the city of Zugdidi, western Georgia, and rally enthusiastic but disorganized Georgians in Samegrelo region against the demoralized and unpopular government of Eduard Shevardnadze.

On October 22, 1993, the government forces launched an offensive against pro-Gamsakhurdia rebels led by Colonel Loti Kobalia and, with the help of Russian military, occupied most of Samegrelo province.

It was later reported that Gamsakhurdia had shot himself (though unproven, with many errors in the original investigation[9]) on December 31, in a village Jikhashkari (Samegrelo region of Western Georgia).