MOSCOW, August 10 (RIA Novosti) - Russian peacekeepers in Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia have denied Sunday's media reports claiming Georgia has withdrawn its forces from the province.

International media cited the Georgian Interior Ministry as saying Georgia had withdrawn its forces after three days of fighting, to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

"The peacekeeping contingent confirms the presence in the conflict zone of units and formations of the Georgian Defense Ministry. They are still in the conflict zone. That is, personnel, armaments, and military hardware of the Georgian army remain in the conflict zone," Vladimir Ivanov, an aide to the commander of the joint peacekeeping force, told reporters.

Georgia launched a major ground and air offensive to seize control of South Ossetia on Friday, prompting Russia to send in tanks and hundreds of troops. Georgia imposed martial law on Saturday after Russian warplanes began bombarding military bases.

South Ossetia's capital Tskhinvali has been largely destroyed, and around 2,000 civilians have died according to local and Russian officials. Around 34,000 South Ossetians have fled across the Russian border.

Georgia's leadership began talks on Sunday with the Russian military on creating a humanitarian corridor to allow residents of South Ossetia to escape the ongoing conflict, Reintegration Minister Temur Yakobashvili said.