Russian forces shell Ukrainian Mosque housing civilians in Mariupol

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has accused Russian forces of shelling a Mosque in the southeastern port city of Mariupol, where 80 civilians, including women and children, were taking shelter on Friday.

“The Mosque of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Roxolana (Hurrem Sultan) in Mariupol was shelled by Russian invaders. More than 80 adults and children are hiding there from the shelling, including citizens of Turkey,” the Ministry wrote on its Twitter account on Saturday morning.

A media report also confirmed the strike on the Mosque with an independent outlet saying:

“Mosque of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and his wife Roxolana, Hurrem Sultan, based in Southeast Mariupol, was shelled by Russian invaders on Friday night.

“More than 80 adults and children are hiding there from the shelling, including citizens of Turkey,” the media outlet, MFA of Ukraine, wrote.

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Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey say a group of 86 Turkish nationals, including 34 children, are among those sheltering in the Mosque

An embassy spokeswoman, citing information from the city mayor, said they had taken shelter in the Mosque along with others seeking refuge from the Russian attack on the encircled port on the Sea of Azov.

“There are really big communication problems in Mariupol and there’s no opportunity to reach them.

“Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been trapped in Mariupol for more than a week with no food, water, heat, or power amid freezing temperatures. Efforts to establish a ceasefire to let them leave have repeatedly broken down,” the Turkish spokeswoman said.

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