2 yıl önce

Over 721,000 tons of grain exported from Ukraine since Istanbul deal

Efforts continue to ensure that shipments reach their final destinations as safely as possible, said Türkiye's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar.

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Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

Since the first ship left Ukraine under the Türkiye-brokered Istanbul grain export deal, more than 721,000 tons of Ukrainian grain have been delivered to world markets, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said.

"As of this morning, the amount of grain leaving the Ukrainian ports was 721,449 tons. This continues," Akar told military commanders during a video conference in the capital Ankara on Monday.

"Hopefully, the amount will increase in the coming days," he said, adding that efforts continue to ensure that shipments reach their final destinations as quickly and safely as possible.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from the Ukrainian Black Sea ports of Yuzhny, Chornomorsk and Odesa, which were halted due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, now in its sixth month.

A Joint Coordination Center (JCC) with officials from the three countries and the UN has been set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.

On Saturday, Akar and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a meeting with the officials at the JCC in Istanbul on the grain shipment process. 

Fight against terrorism

Akar said Türkiye resolutely continues its fight against terrorism to protect its borders and citizens.

As of January 1, he said, anti-terror operations have continued “intensively,” adding: "During this period, a total of 2,517 terrorists were neutralised in northern Iraq and in northern Syria."

The minister said that a total of 333 terrorists were "neutralised" during Operation Claw-Lock, implying the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

Türkiye launched Claw-Lock in April to target the PKK terror group's hideouts in Iraq's northern Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions, near the Turkish border.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.