TURKEY WARNS ITS CITIZENS NOT TO VISIT EASTERN UKRAINE

pro-Russian separatists (Photo: Olga Ivashchenko/Reuters)

Ankara, 2 Sha’ban 1435/31 May 2014 (MINA) – Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Turkish citizens not to visit Ukraine’s eastern provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk in a statement on Saturday.

“We warn our citizens not to travel to [Donetsk and Lugansk provinces of Ukraine]  unless it is necessary,” said the statement, Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The ministry’s statement came after the operation launched by Ukrainian security forces on Friday night to reclaim the town of Slavyansk, held by pro-Russian separatists. On Saturday, a woman was killed following clashes in Slayviansk.

Ukrainian pro-European business tycoon Petro Poroshenko, elected with more than 54 per cent in last week’s presidential election, vowed to rein in the separatists in the east of the country.

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Earlier, the World Union of Ahiskan Turks (DATUB) called on the Turkish government to bring the Meskhetian Turks, also known as Ahiska Turks, which finds itself stuck in the middle of clashes in eastern Ukraine, to Turkey immediately.

“Fortunately, none of ours was wounded or killed there so far,” Burhan Ozkosar, Deputy Chairman of the World Union of Ahiskan Turks told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Friday. “But the damage is big. Three of our houses were demolished by mortal shells.”

Meskhetian Turks are the ethnic Turks formerly inhabiting the Meskheti region of Georgia, along the border with Turkey. According to Ozkosar, there are around 500 Meskhetian Turks remaining in eastern Ukraine, who “need to be brought to Turkey immediately” on refugee status. “They are waiting for what will happen to them there helplessly.

Some of them want to migrate to Ahiska region [in Georgia]. But a majority of them are asking Turkey to accept them as refugees,” he said. On Thursday, at least 700 people from the Turkish-speaking minority in eastern Ukraine were forced to abandon their homes after being persecuted by pro-Russian separatists and Kiev supporters, according to a community representative, Nebican Basatov. (T/P09/E01)

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Miraj Islamic News Agency (MINA)