MOSCOW, August 1 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia reported on Friday evening that three people had been killed as Georgian troops continued to shell its capital, Tskhinvali.

"A Georgian mortar platoon is shelling southern districts of Tskhinvali," South Ossetia's information and press committee said. "The northern [de facto] border is also being shelled. South Ossetia is returning fire."

South Ossetia had earlier reported that Georgian snipers were firing on a border checkpoint in the region, killing one police officer and injuring one more.

Russian peacekeepers deployed in the region confirmed the reports of automatic weapon fire.

"Three people have been killed and seven injured as of 21:00 Moscow time (17:00 GMT) by snipers from the Georgian side firing on Tskhinvali," Commander Vladimir Ivanov said, adding that the attacks were continuing.

South Ossetia's leader said the unrecognized republic would retaliate.

"Georgia has declared a sniper war on the Republic of South Ossetia and made another attempt to unleash a large scale war," Eduard Kokoity said. "The republic has so far refrained from retaliatory moves, but will not do so any more."

Tbilisi has not yet commented on the reports.

TBILISI/TSKHINVALI, August 2 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia will not give ground in the crisis around recent incidents on the border with its breakaway region of South Ossetia, a senior military official said on Saturday.

According to official reports, at least nine Georgian citizens and one policeman were wounded late Friday-early Saturday in a series of border gunfights in the Georgian-S.Ossetian conflict zone. South Ossetia reported at least six people were killed and 15 wounded on its side.

"Georgia will never retreat and will respond with fire if fired upon [by South Ossetia]," Georgian peacekeepers chief of staff Mamuka Kurashvili said.

"We would rather die here [at the border] than pull back," he said.

Meanwhile, South Ossetia's leader Eduard Kokoity, who had to interrupt his visit to Russia and return to the republic on Saturday after the border clashes with Georgia, said that Tskhinvali was prepared to mobilize the population to repel possible Georgian attacks.

"If tensions in the region continue to escalate, we are ready to carry out a general mobilization of the population in South Ossetia and to announce a recruitment of volunteers in the whole North Caucasus region," Kokoity said.

He reiterated that Georgia had long been seeking the opportunity to start a war with South Ossetia.

"We have tried hard to avoid the war and continue peace negotiations, but Georgia is not willing to give us this chance," the South Ossetian leader said. "We must defend our people and our land."

South Ossetia declared its independence from Georgia following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Hundreds died in the bloody conflict that followed.

The pro-Western Georgian leadership has said it is determined to bring the region, along with another breakaway republic, Abkhazia, back under central control.

MOSCOW, August 2 (RIA Novosti) - South Ossetia has not yet mobilized its population following border incidents allegedly provoked by Georgia but put its armed forces on high alert, the interior minister said on Saturday.

At least six people have been killed and 13 wounded late Friday-early Saturday in a series of gunfights along the border between Georgia and its breakaway region of South Ossetia.

"We have not yet issued orders for general mobilization but if similar incidents continue we will not only mobilize the population but will also immediately take other appropriate measures," Mikhail Mindzayev told RIA Novosti by phone from Tskhinvali.

The South Ossetian government held an emergency meeting on Saturday to analyze the current situation in the Georgia-S. Ossetia conflict zone.

"The meeting discussed a possible mobilization and the measures to ensure the safety of local residents," Mindzayev said. "If Georgia continues its provocations our republic will respond with all available forces and means."

South Ossetia declared its independence from Georgia following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Hundreds died in the bloody conflict that followed.

The pro-Western Georgian leadership has said it is determined to bring the region, along with another breakaway republic, Abkhazia, back under central control.