Turkish-backed Syrian fighters travel toward northern Syria on Monday for a military operation in Kurdish areas, near the Syrian border in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Photo by Sedat Suna/EPA-EFE
Syrian troops entered the city of Manbij in line with an agreement reached Sunday between Kurdish forces and Syrian and Turkish leaders, in which Kurdish officials agreed to hand over control of multiple cities in exchange for protection. Erdogan launched the Turkish offensive in Syria, called Operation Peace Spring, last week to clear out what Ankara considers to be Kurdish terrorists in the country’s northeastern sector.
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Erdogan called on NATO allies for support, saying Turkey is under “pressure” and “harassment” by Kurdish terrorists.
“We are a NATO ally. … They need to stand by us,” he said.
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Syrian state-run media reported Monday that President Bashar al-Assad’s forces were traveling north to “confront Turkish aggression.”
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The leaders of several European countries blamed Washington for the deteriorating situation Monday.
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European foreign ministers are discussing an arms embargo for Turkey, and France and Germany have already blocked sales to Ankara.
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“We are not going into another war between people who have been fighting each other for 200 years,” Trump tweeted. “Europe had a chance to get their [IS] prisoners but didn’t want the cost. ‘Let the USA pay,’ they said … Do people really think we should go to war with NATO member Turkey? Never ending wars will end!”
Navy Vet