Donald Trump slaps sanctions on Turkey, demands ceasefire in Syria

Targeting Turkey’s economy, United States President Donald Trump announced sanctions aimed at restraining the Turkish assault against Kurdish fighters and civilians in Syria – an attack Turkey began after Trump announced he was withdrawing American troops.

The US on Monday also called on Turkey to stop the invasion and declare a ceasefire, and Trump said he would send Vice-President Mike Pence and national security adviser Robert O’Brien to Ankara as soon as possible in an attempt to begin negotiations.

Pence said Trump spoke directly to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who promised not to attack the border town of Kobani, which in 2015 witnessed Islamic State’s first defeat in a battle by US-backed Kurdish fighters.

“President Trump communicated to him very clearly that the United States of America wants Turkey to stop the invasion, implement an immediate cease-fire and to begin to negotiate with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end to the violence,” Pence said.

The US military exit was criticised at home and abroad as opening the door to a resurgence of Isis, whose violent takeover of Syrian and Iraqi lands five years ago was the reason American forces went in the first place.

China on Tuesday became the latest to join the international condemnation of Turkey’s cross-border attack on Kurdish forces.