Turkish mosque in Ukraine’s Mariupol city ‘remains intact’

By Tolga Ozgenc

MARIUPOL, Ukraine (AA) - A Turkish mosque in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol has remained intact, the head of the mosque association said on Saturday, as clashes continued in and around the city.

Clashes continue in a neighborhood that is 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) away from the mosque, said Ismail Hacioglu, the head of the association of Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Mosque.

"Our mosque remained undamaged,” he noted.

Hacioglu said the Russian army has surrounded the city and has been shooting at the city center.

He said that civilians who are stranded in the city need essential goods, including water and food.

A rocket fell on Friday around 700 meters (2,297 feet) away from the mosque which currently houses 30 Turkish nationals, he said.

In the city, along with those in the mosque, there are 86 Turkish nationals waiting to be evacuated, Hacioglu said, adding that they are in coordination with the Turkish Foreign Ministry for evacuation.

Since Russia launched its war on Ukraine on Feb. 24, more than 2.5 million people have fled to other countries, with some 2 million more displaced within the country.

At least 564 civilians have also been killed and 982 others injured in Ukraine, according to UN estimates.

While the EU, the US, and others have imposed sanctions on Moscow, many companies and global brands have also suspended operations in Russia.

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk in Ankara